KUALA LUMPUR: Police suspect S Balamurugan, who died in police custody in February, was said to have been shivering violently in lock up hours before appearing in court for his remand procedure.

This was according to Corporal Muszanizam Mustaffa from the Shah Alam Centralised Lock Up who had received Balamurugan around 3.30am on that day after his arrest earlier in a car theft case.

His physical condition was trembling. He was shivering violently even as he stood up.

I asked him whats wrong but he didn't answer. His friend (who was also arrested) said it was because he's addicted to alcohol.

He had a strong smell of alcohol when brought in so I believe that he was shaking because of his withdrawal, he told an enquiry at the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) headquarters today.

EAIC is looking into the cause of Balamurugan death while in police custody on Feb 7 this year.

During his testimony, Muszanizam confidently said that he remembered being told “dia ketagihan arak(he's addicted to alcohol) by one of Balamurugan case mates.

When Bar Council R Sivaraj asked Muszanizam who was the case mate that he was referring to, the police officer simply said he didn't remember.

Sivaraj then grilled Muszanizam, suggesting that he was not telling the truth as Balamurugan case mate couldnt converse in Bahasa Malaysia.

I suggest that you are not telling the truth. The detainees caught with Balamurugan could not speak proper Bahasa Malaysia. They needed translators during their hearing, said the lawyer.

Muszanizam responded that he couldn’t recall the exact identity of the case mate, pointing out that those exact words could have been uttered by anyone of the detainees brought in with Balamurugan.

Balamurugan seemed healthy

Muszanizam, who is the sentry supervisor at Shah Alam Centralised Lock Up, said he had received Balamurugan along with five other detainees who were brought from Klang Utara IPD on Feb 7.

Balamurugan was placed in a temporary cell as the officers were processing several transfer documentation before taking the suspects to level 1 of the lock up.

Muszanizam pointed out that other than his shivers, Balamurugan seemed fine and showed no sign of him being injured or sickly.

I didn't see any injuries or blood spotted on Balamurugan. He seemed fine when he was changing clothes on his own without any help.

Balamurugan can even move on his own. I saw him walking on his own without needing assistance as they were escorted upstairs,he said.

Balamurugan was later picked up by police officers from Klang Utara IPD at 7.30am to be taken to the Klang magistrate's courts for remand procedures.

Sumber : Berita Daily