The lawyer representing the family of the late G Jestus Kevin has urged the Attorney-General’s Chambers to charge the inmates allegedly responsible for Kevin’s death when in police custody five years ago.
M Visvanathan said the officers on duty at the police lockup in Bentong, Pahang, should also be held accountable for leaving Kevin unattended after he was beaten by two inmates in his cell, as seen in CCTV footage during last month’s inquest into Kevin’s death.
During the inquest, coroner Sazlina Shafie said Kevin, who was unattended after he was beaten up, could have been saved if the police had sought medical treatment for him.
Visvanathan said the two inmates should be charged with murder or culpable homicide not amounting to murder, while the “appropriate charges” should be levelled against the police officers.
He also asked if the police had taken any action against the officers involved in the death.
Visvanathan said CCTV footage during the inquest hearing, which was provided by the AGC, showed two inmates binding Kevin’s arms and legs using pieces of torn blanket. He was also gagged with a cloth and beaten by the inmates.
He alleged that the police officers on duty at the time provided the blanket to the inmates and even encouraged them to beat Kevin.
“We want to know what the government, the police and the AGC are going to do. Here, we know exactly what happened. We have the CCTV recordings,” he said during a press conference.
“The government must be held accountable. Some form of justice must be given to the deceased and his family.”
Kevin’s father, A Ganaprakasam, alleged that police told him that his son had died of breathing difficulties due to Covid-19 and asked him not to pursue the matter further.
He also alleged that the police lied and said Kevin’s body had already been sent to the hospital’s mortuary when it was still at the Bentong police station.
“Five years have passed since (Kevin) died. We just want justice,” he said.
