Man alleges abuse by cops after lodging domestic squabble report

 

Joseph Prakash Sukumaran says the officers punched him and threw a chair at him.

PETALING JAYA: A former workshop manager is alleging that seven police officers beat him up and threatened to kill him when he was at the Serdang district police headquarters last week.

Following a medical check-up at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang, Joseph Prakash Sukumaran was found to have sustained soft tissue injury to his neck, chest, limbs and face as a result of the incident.

It began when Joseph went to the Serdang district police headquarters last Wednesday to lodge a counter-report against his wife after a domestic squabble earlier that day.

He said that after being questioned by the police, he was taken to the second floor of the station where, after he repeatedly asked to speak to his wife, the officers punched and choked him and threw a chair at him.

He also said he had difficulty breathing after a police officer pressed his knee on his chest.

Joseph’s wife Sumathi Tamil Vanan lodged a police report detailing the officers’ assault on the same day. FMT has sighted this police report.

“I feel lucky to have come out alive,” said Joseph.

“I couldn’t breathe and was unconscious after they started hitting me, and I later vomited blood when I was at the lock-up.”

Joseph was brought to the Petaling Jaya magistrates’ court the next day for a remand hearing, during which he said police officers had threatened to remand him for 14 days or even detain him for two years without trial under the Prevention of Crime Act.

He was then brought back to the Serdang district police headquarters and sent to the Serdang hospital later that night after constantly complaining of being in pain.

Joseph was brought back to the Petaling Jaya magistrates court again on June 11 to be charged with four separate offences under three Acts.

He was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code, which states that anyone who voluntarily obstructs any public servant in the discharge of his public functions may be handed a sentence of up to two years, a fine not exceeding RM10,000, or both.

He was further charged under Section 90 of the Police Act 1967 for disorderly conduct in a police station, which carries a sentence of up to six months, a fine not exceeding RM500, or both.

In addition, he was charged twice under Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, where anyone who uses any indecent, threatening, abusive or insulting words, or behaves in a threatening or insulting manner, could face a fine of RM100.

At a check-up at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital on June 12, Joseph discovered he had sustained injuries to his neck, chest, limbs and face. FMT has sighted his medical report.

“It doesn’t make sense that an injustice has been done to Joseph, but he has been charged for causing a ruckus at the police station,” said Joseph’s lawyer, K Ganesh.

“The police are trying to intimidate Joseph with these four charges, and they are also trying to intimidate his wife by telling her they will investigate her under Section 182 of the Penal Code for lodging a false report.”

“Selangor police or Bukit Aman should take over this case and investigate the seven officers responsible for the assault because there is eyewitness testimony from the wife as per the police report, which is collaborated by the medical report,” he said.

FMT has reached out to Serdang police for comment. - FMT