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KUALA LUMPUR – A 43-year-old Malay man died while in police custody yesterday after spending three days in Kota Tinggi Hospital, Johor for Covid-19 – the ninth detainee death this year.
In a statement today, Bukit Aman’s Standards Compliance Department director Datuk Azri Ahmad said although the man was being treated for Covid-19 symptoms, his cause of death has yet to be confirmed.
“On February 16, the man was sent to Kota Tinggi Hospital to get treated for fever and vomiting. A test confirmed that he was positive for Covid-19 and was put in the Covid-19 ward for treatment.
“On February 18 at 4.15am, he was confirmed dead and the cause of death is yet to be confirmed.”
He added that the man was arrested on January 21 at the Kota Tinggi district police headquarters under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
The court had given a four-day remand order on January 25 and bail was offered. However, the man did not provide a guarantor and he was detained in jail.
Case mention was set on February 1 and hearing on February 28.
Azri said the man was temporarily placed in the police lock-up following a Covid-19 outbreak in jail.
He added that an investigation into the death will be conducted by the department’s Criminal Investigation Unit on Deaths in Custody. – The Vibes, February 19, 2022