Police are investigating the death of a 42-year-old detainee who died in hospital while in custody, including whether any officers were involved in misconduct.
Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the man, identified as Nor Aizwan, fell ill while being detained and was taken to the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre for treatment. He was pronounced dead at 1.52am on October 1.
The case has been classified as a sudden death report, with the Bukit Aman Special Custodial Death Investigation Team (USJKT) and Bukit Aman Integrity Department conducting investigations.
Fadil said the deceased had 44 previous offences, comprising 18 drug-related offences and 26 criminal offences. He was also suspected of involvement in 17 other cases that require further leads and verification.
“If those 17 suspected cases are counted alongside the cases officially recorded, the deceased was linked to a total of 60 criminal cases,” he said at a press conference today.
Police had arrested the man to assist investigations into three cases — one involving drugs and two involving criminal offences.
The drug case was investigated under Sections 39A and 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952. However, it was classified as no further action (NFA) due to insufficient evidence.
In another case, the man was suspected of housebreaking under Section 457 of the Penal Code after police reportedly found his fingerprints at the scene. The Cheras police were responsible for investigating the case.
He was also detained over a theft case under Section 379 of the Penal Code, involving the alleged theft of a Buddha statue from a shrine.
Fadil said other suspects were also linked to the cases but declined to identify them individually.
He added that police were still determining the value of the loss involving the missing statue. Although a deputy public prosecutor had instructed that a charge be brought under Section 448 of the Penal Code for house trespass, the case was classified as NFA following the suspect’s death.
The cause of death has yet to be established, with police awaiting the full laboratory report. Investigators are also examining the circumstances surrounding the man’s injuries, the precise time of death and whether any officers breached disciplinary rules.
Asked about photographs of the deceased circulating online, Fadil said their authenticity and the circumstances in which the injuries occurred would need to be investigated.
“If the photographs were taken by family members after the body was handed over to them, they may reflect the deceased’s condition at that time. However, the cause of the injuries still needs to be investigated and cannot be determined from photographs alone,” he said.
Fadil urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information that could cause public concern, adding that the case would be examined from multiple angles and other agencies could be brought in if necessary.
He also said police arrest and detention procedures were carried out in accordance with standard operating procedures and were subject to magistrates’ court oversight.
Police had taken time to issue a detailed statement because they needed to verify the information carefully before presenting it to the public, he added.
