No further inquiry into inmate's death: AGC

No further inquiry into inmate's death: AGC

SINGAPORE - The coroner's inquiry into the death of an inmate, who died after being restrained in Changi Prison, will not be reopened, the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said on Thursday.

Responding to the bid by the dead man's mother, Madam Selvi Narayanasamy, through lawyer M. Ravi to resume the inquiry, the AGC said there have been "no new matters raised" that warranted further investigations.

A spokesman said the state coroner was exercising his discretion not to resume the inquiry because the cause of and circumstances connected to the death of Dinesh Raman Chinnaiah, 21, have been placed before the court in criminal proceedings against senior prison officer Lim Kwo Yin, 36 last month.

The inquiry was discontinued after Lim pleaded guilty, and was fined $10,000 for causing death by negligence.

At the time, the court heard that Dinesh, who was convicted of rioting and theft, kicked a warden in his abdomen in an unprovoked attack on Sept 27, 2010. It took eight officers - including Lim, who was the supervising officer - half an hour to restrain him.

Dinesh was eventually put on the ground with his head to the side, in an isolation cell. He was left in the prone position, thereby restricting the respiratory movements of his chest and abdomen.

Mr Ravi, however, said on Thursday that there was no information as to how the other seven officers were involved in Dinesh's death and that the Attorney-General should call for a full inquiry in the public's interest, "and not Dinesh's mother having to do so".

Madam Selvi argued in her affidavit filed on Wednesday that only "a short agreed statement of facts" was presented, saying that full evidence had not been heard.

But the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Thursday that a pathologist's report, concluding that Dinesh died of breathing difficulties because of the position he was in, had been given to the family's former lawyer M. Mahendran.

The lawyer also did not object when the coroner decided to discontinue the inquiry on July 23.

Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran said in Parliament on Aug 12 that the Government accepts responsibility for Dinesh's death and will compensate the family.

"The Government remains committed to explain any issues arising from this tragic incident and to do whatever it can to assist the family," said the MHA.

Lawyer Tan Hee Joek, who is not involved in the case, said that in discontinuing the proceedings, the coroner would have weighed all the relevant factors, including whether action has been taken against those found to have wrongfully caused the death.

He added that it was "not uncommon" for inquiries to be halted, because it would lead to "duplicate efforts" in establishing the cause of death.

waltsim@sph.com.sg


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