Death in police custody in Penang

Furniture shop worker Cheah Chin Lee was arrested and taken for a urine test. Five hours later he was found dead. The post mortem report said: asphyxia due to hanging.

The police said an officer would be assigned to investigate the case and promised “no cover up”.

I think an independent investigation, not an internal one, is necessary.

Excerpt from a Malaysiakini report:

Man dies in lock-up five hours after arrest

Susan Loone
7:17PM Aug 14, 2012

A 36-year-old man died in police custody yesterday morning, much to the shock of his family, who lodged a report over his death in Jalan Pattani Northeast police headquarters, Penang, today.
Another

The man’s brother-in-law Looi Chooi Aik (above, right) said the family met with one Inspector Azmin in the Tanjong Tokong police station at about 11am this morning and was told that Cheah Chin Lee had died.

Cheah, who works at a furniture shop, was as arrested at about 12am early yesterday morning and was brought to the Jalan Pattani police headquarters for a urine test until 2am, Looi claimed.

It is believed that Cheah was arrested for suspicions of car theft involvement.

“According to this Inspector Azmin, Cheah was brought back to Tanjong Tokong (police station) at about 5am and was found dead 20 minutes later,” Looi, 45, told reporters outside the police headquarters.