'No answers, no arrests': Dead detainee's family heads to Anwar's doorstep

Frustrated by the interminable wait for answers and the absence of arrests over Noorizwan Zulkefly’s custodial death, his family is taking their fight for justice to the doorstep of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Tomorrow, armed with a letter and running out of patience, the family will make its way to Anwar’s residence in Kajang, seeking his intervention...

Frustrated by the interminable wait for answers and the absence of arrests over Noorizwan Zulkefly’s custodial death, his family is taking their fight for justice to the doorstep of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Tomorrow, armed with a letter and running out of patience, the family will make its way to Anwar’s residence in Kajang, seeking his intervention.

Speaking to Malaysiakini, Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) co-founder Latheefa Koya said the move was initiated by the family itself, driven by mounting anger and disappointment over the lack of progress in the investigation into Noorizwan’s death.

Their frustration, Latheefa (above) said, had deepened after they received a letter from the police that offered little more than an assurance that the case remained under investigation.

“Still, there has been no reclassification of the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, even though the pathologist informed Bukit Aman officers, in our presence, that Noorizwan died from blunt trauma injuries to the head.

“The pathologist also showed photographs of the terrible injuries to everyone present, including the officers.

“The family’s frustration and anxiety are surely understandable. With no one else providing answers, they are turning to the prime minister, with whom the buck stops,” she said.

READ MORE: 21 injuries, swelling of skull area, bleeding in brain and intestines: 'Silence not an option'

Latheefa said Anwar, as head of the executive, had the authority to ensure a full and comprehensive investigation, free from cover-ups and unnecessary distractions, including the investigation into the lawyers representing the family.

“This is an ordinary Malaysian family, not part of the elite in Putrajaya, and they deserve justice,” she added.

The appeal to Anwar carries a particular poignancy given his own experience of police brutality following his sacking from government and arrest in 1998.

READ MORE: 'I thought I wouldn't survive' - Anwar recalls 'black eye' incident

Two years ago, recalling the assault he suffered, Anwar said the police and Suhakam would conduct investigations and studies into injuries and deaths involving detainees in lockups.

“When people talk about concerns regarding abuse and deaths in lockups, there is no need to convince me because I know how it feels, and we feel it seems helpless when you’re assaulted to near death in the lockup,” he said.

Anwar had also expressed his willingness to join Suhakam’s visits to police lockups, acknowledging the urgency of resolving the issue.

Lawyers being probed

However, in Noorizwan’s case, his family’s search for answers has taken an unsettling turn.

Instead of the investigation focusing solely on the circumstances surrounding his death, three lawyers representing the family, including Latheefa, are themselves being investigated by the police over the disclosure of post-mortem photographs.

The trio were questioned for more than three hours over their visit with the family to the pathology unit at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM).

The investigation has provoked fierce criticism, with former Malaysian Bar president Ambiga Sreenevasan describing the developments as a “new low” for the government.

She warned that targeting lawyers seeking the truth could only deepen public suspicion surrounding Noorizwan’s death.

DAP MP Ramkarpal Singh has also condemned the probe, warning that it could amount to intimidation of lawyers carrying out their professional duties.

21 injuries

The controversy erupted after the family and their lawyers, on Oct 14, laid bare a horrific catalogue of 21 injuries found on Noorizwan, including bleeding in the brain and intestines, alongside extensive injuries stretching from head to feet.

The 42-year-old father died on Oct 1, after being detained at the Cheras district police headquarters lock-up.

A day after the photographs documenting his injuries were released, Kuala Lumpur police chief Fadil Marsus said investigators were awaiting the Chemistry Department’s full report and the official pathology results before completing their probe.

But Fadil also drew attention to Noorizwan’s criminal history, revealing that the deceased had 44 criminal records comprising 18 drug-related cases and 26 other criminal offences, and had admitted to involvement in 17 other housebreaking and theft cases in the Cheras district.

Fadil maintained that Noorizwan’s detention had been carried out in accordance with established standard operating procedures (SOP).

However, Noorizwan had reportedly fallen ill while in custody and was subsequently taken to HCTM for further treatment.

The remarks prompted Noorizwan’s family to lodge a police report against Fadil, with Latheefa describing them as dishonest and an attempt to justify the incident on the grounds that the deceased had a criminal record.