No one charged over navy cadet’s death, father tells court

 

S Joseph claims the navy neglected the safety and welfare of his son.

KUALA LUMPUR: The father of J Soosaimanicckam, a navy cadet officer who died while undergoing training in Lumut, Perak, told the sessions court here today no one has been charged over his death six years ago.

S Joseph, 71, made the admission during cross-examination by senior federal counsel Abdul Hakim Karem.

He was testifying on the first day of trial in a negligence suit brought over his son’s death.

During evidence-in-chief earlier, Joseph said he lodged a police report on May 20, 2018, one day after his son died, claiming navy personnel failed to give the 27-year-old early treatment.

“The navy neglected the safety and welfare of my son, who was healthy prior to enrolling for the training,” he said.

Lawyers Zaid Malek and Latheefa Koya represented the deceased’s family.

On May 19, 2021, the family filed a civil suit over Soosaimanicckam’s death, naming the government and 14 others as defendants.

The suit alleged that the defendants had failed to give the deceased timely treatment.

It also claims that Soosaimanicckam was abused by several parties named in the suit.

A post-mortem report showed that Soosaimanicckam died due to pulmonary oedema.

In June last year, coroner Ainul Shahrin Mohamad delivered an open verdict following an inquest into the death, saying she was unable to conclusively establish how Soosaimanicckam died while undergoing training.

She said the evidence adduced during the inquest contained “many conflicting possibilities” to explain his death.

Latheefa told FMT the family is appealing the verdict.

The trial before judge Idah Ismail continues tomorrow. - FMT