Depot chief didn’t know Nigerian had valid documents, inquest told

An inquest witness says the police removed all CCTV cameras at Bukit Jalil depot after they handed it over to the Immigration Department in 2012.

KUALA LUMPUR: The commandant of the Bukit Jalil immigration depot testified today that he was not aware that Nigerian PhD student Orhions Ewansiha Thomas had valid travel documents when Thomas was put in custody.

Chandran Muniandy, testifying at an inquest into Thomas’s death at the camp, said in response to a question by lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan that he also did not know when the validity of the passport and student visa was verified.

When asked why Thomas was not released despite having valid documents, Muniandy said the release of detainees depended on the investigations by the assigned investigating officer.

Muniandy also said the IO first needed permission from the head of operations and the deputy public prosecutor before releasing them.

“If they want to release anybody, they have to write to the higher authorities first – the head of operations. Then, if given approval, they have to refer to the DPP first. The IO simply cannot release anyone without getting consent,” he said.

He added that his task as commandant was only to take in and supervise the detainees, on top of taking care of their welfare and that of his officers.

Muniandy also testified that on July 9, 2019, he had been informed by the supervisor at the time, called “Tuan Shamsul”, that a Nigerian detainee had died.

“I asked him how this happened. He said the detainee had a seizure and they took emergency action to save him by giving him CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation),” he told the coroner.

He added that he only found out about his health status after the incident. “I was informed that he had a history of hypertension.”

Muniandy said the medical assistant told him he could not get accurate blood pressure readings because Thomas’s arm was too big for his gadget.

He said all these were recorded down in a notebook used to jot down details of sick detainees.

He added that the Undocumented Migrant Health Record Unit (URKP) was headed by the MA, with the help of immigration officers.

Speaking on their training and qualifications, he said the immigration officers did not need any training as they were only tasked to help the MA with basic tasks, such as using the health equipment, recording body temperatures and administering medicine according to the MA’s instructions.

Muniandy said this was necessary as the MA could not check on all of the 1,200 to 1,500 inmates held at the depot at any given time.

“All help to the MA given is based on the instructions of the MA. The officers will not do their own evaluations without instructions. Medicine is also prescribed at the instructions of the MA.”

However, he added that one of his officers – Valentine Nobeth – had attended basic training in CPR held at the depot. This was organised partly by the health ministry.

Previously, Valentine, who was also a witness at the inquest, had testified that he had not received any prior training before being placed under the URKP department at the depot.

Muniandy said the officers were also informally trained by the MA to conduct these basic tasks, such as taking body temperatures.

When asked why there were no closed-circuit TV cameras (CCTV) at the depot, he said the depot was originally managed by the police before it was fully passed on to the Immigration Department in July 2012.

“At the same time, all equipment including CCTVs, were taken back by the police.

“When I became the commandant, I had taken the initiative to apply for a budget to install CCTVs for the depot, which covers 9.2ha in area.”

He added that his application for the installation of CCTVs was still pending, as it required a large budget.

Speaking on the death rates of detainees at the depot, he testified that only two or three detainees had died in immigration custody at the Bukit Jalil depot since he took over in 2016.

“So far in 2020, there have been two deaths.”

Thomas’s family had filed an application for an inquest into his death as they suspected that he could have been assaulted and had been refused medication while under detention.

Thomas, who was a student at the Limkokwing University, was arrested with 19 others during a raid on an apartment in Kepong.

The inquest continues next Friday. - FMT