Bukit Aman: Post-mortem finds external injuries in Cheras custodial death, cause of death pending lab analysis

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — A post-mortem conducted on a 42-year-old man who died following detention by Cheras police revealed no damage to his internal organs but confirmed multiple external bodily injuries, federal investigators said today.

The formal medical cause of death remains undetermined and has been classified as “pending laboratory analysis” while pathologists await toxicology and histology findings from the Chemistry Department, the Royal Malaysia Police’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) confirmed in a statement this morning.

The findings arrive amid intensifying civil society pressure, following calls by rights watchdog Lawyers for Liberty for the case to be treated as homicide rather than a routine sudden death, citing visible physical trauma observed on the deceased’s body.

Today’s police statement acknowledged the external injuries but stopped short of describing their severity, nature, or likely origin.

Bukit Aman’s specialised Criminal Investigation and Deaths in Custody Unit (USJKT) is leading the inquiry across multiple operational angles. The 78 individuals interviewed so far include arresting and lock-up police officers, attending hospital doctors, forensic medical specialists, representatives from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK), civilian witnesses, and two immediate family members.

To ensure independent oversight, JIPS confirmed that the case has been formally referred to the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) under Section 26 of the Independent Police Conduct Commission Act 2022, fulfilling mandatory reporting statutory requirements for fatalities in custody.

The timeline provided by JIPS states that Cheras district police originally arrested the man on Sept 19 on suspicion of drug possession under Section 39A(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, along with housebreaking and theft offences under Sections 457 and 379 of the Penal Code.

After 11 days in detention, he was transferred to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM (HCTM) on Sept 30 for emergency treatment and was pronounced dead at 1.52am on Oct 1.

On Oct 15, Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said that the detainee had been managed in strict compliance with standard operating procedures before suddenly falling ill.

Fadil also highlighted that the deceased carried 44 prior criminal records, consisting of 18 narcotics infractions and 26 other offences, and had allegedly admitted to 17 unsolved break-ins across Cheras.

JIPS director CP Datuk Aida Abdul Hamid reiterated that police will not make any compromise regarding operational misconduct or excessive force by personnel, pledging that investigators will act strictly in accordance with statutory regulations.

She also urged the public and advocacy groups to refrain from unverified online speculation while forensic pathologists complete their lab analysis.