Lawyers slam delay in post-mortem report for Nigerian student

The Bukit Jalil detention centre where Nigerian student Orhions Ewansiha Thomas was held. (Reuters pic)

PETALING JAYA: Lawyers representing the family of a Nigerian who died at an immigration detention centre in Kuala Lumpur have hit out at the authorities over the delay in producing the post-mortem report.

Rajesh Nagarajan and Sachpreetraj Singh Sohanpal said they had requested a copy of Thomas Orhions Ewansiha’s post-mortem on Aug 2 following their meeting with a pathologist from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia medical centre.

According to them, the pathologist said the report was still being prepared and that tissue samples had to be sent to the Department of Chemistry Malaysia for analysis before it could be finalised.

“It has been more than a month since our meeting with the pathologist, and more than two months since the death of Thomas.

“Despite numerous reminders, calls and requests for updates from the pathologist, we have been unable to obtain the report,” the lawyers told FMT.

They also questioned the press release issued by the immigration department more than a month ago stating that no signs of foul play had been found in Thomas’ death despite the pathologist’s inability to provide a conclusive post-mortem report.

They said this was a gross violation of Thomas’ rights, as well as those of his family.

Thomas Orhions Ewansiha.

“We ask that the authorities and those in charge immediately move to expedite the release of the post-mortem report,” they said.

In a letter to the medical centre sighted by FMT, Rajesh and Sachpreetraj said the delay in post-mortem report had hampered their efforts to move forward with an inquest into Thomas’ death.

Thomas’ widow, Blessing Uhunoma Eriamiator, is seeking an inquest into his death, claiming that her husband was assaulted and refused medication while in custody.

Thomas, a PhD student at Limkokwing University, was arrested alongside 19 others during a raid at the Desa Aman Puri Apartment in Kepong, Selangor.

The immigration department said Thomas, 34, had experienced a seizure prior to his death but denied any foul play. It also said there had been no breach of standard operating procedure.

It said Thomas had been remanded for two weeks to facilitate the process of verifying his documents as well as the details of his college records.

However, Eriamiator claimed Thomas was detained without valid reason, saying her husband was in Malaysia legally and had been so for a decade in order to pursue his studies.  - FMT