Cops face murder rap for Dhamendran's death

VIDEO | 1.03 min
Police personnel allegedly involved in the death-in-custody of N Dhamendran will be charged this afternoon with murder.

“Based on the evidence gathered through the investigation, I have decided to proffer a murder charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code against the police personnel involved,” Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said in a statement today.

“The police personnel concerned are to be indicted in court this afternoon.”

The statement did not specify the number of personnel to be charged.
According to Gani (left), the 31-year-old detainee was found dead in his cell while in police custody at lock-up of the the D9 branch of the Kuala Lumpur police contingent headquarters.
Dhamendran had been arrested on May 11 on suspicion of attempted murder involving firearms and had been held under remand from May 12 up to the time of his death.
Based on the post-mortem examination conducted at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on May 22, the cause of death was determined to be "diffused soft tissue injuries due to multiple blunt force trauma".
"The AG's Chambers views this latest incident of a death of a detainee while in the custody of a law enforcement agency seriously, and is committed to dealing with any alleged wrongdoing leading to the death of Dhamendran (right) in accordance with the law," Gani said.
"The AG's Chambers then directed the police to investigate the case and the dedicated task force established by the inspector-general of police completed its investigation and submitted the relevant investigation papers to the AG's Chambers on June 4.
"Although the events involved are regrettable, the swift action of the Royal Malaysian Police to address the death of Dhamendran is nonetheless commendable and reflects (its) commitment... to uphold the integrity of the institution of the Royal Malaysian Police."

[More to follow]