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The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) has announced the conclusion of its investigation into the death of a detainee and the referral of the accused, in custody, to criminal trial on charges of assault resulting in death.
The unit stated that it became aware of the detainee’s death on March 27 through reports circulating on social media, as well as through an official notification received the same day from the Inspector General of the National Intelligence Agency.
According to the notification, the deceased had been held by the agency and was subjected to an assault by one of its personnel, resulting in multiple injuries.
He was subsequently transferred to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In response, the unit immediately undertook the investigation, in accordance with its legal jurisdiction and the powers vested in it, in order to ascertain all the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The unit commissioned its forensic physician to determine the nature of the injuries and the cause of death. It also traced the procedures taken with regard to the deceased from the time of his arrest, which established that he and others had been apprehended pursuant to a lawfully issued arrest warrant.
The SIU obtained the relevant medical records, documents, and visual recordings, conducted an inspection of the scene, and ordered the intensification of inquiries by the Judicial Police. In addition, it heard the statements of the deceased’s father and witnesses to the incident, and interrogated the accused, who admitted to the acts attributed to him.
In light of the conclusive evidence established in the investigation, proving that the accused committed the offence, the unit ordered his referral, in custody, to the High Criminal Court.
The SIU affirmed its full commitment to carrying out its mandate by exercising all its judicial powers to uphold the rule of law, ensure its enforcement, and respect human rights, particularly the rights of accused persons and detainees.
It also reaffirmed its seriousness of holding accountable anyone who infringes upon the rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the law, in pursuit of justice.
Meanwhile, the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) issued a statement on April 6 ‘concerning claims that a remanded individual suffered mistreatment and died in custody’.
“The NIHR is looking into claims that the remanded individual underwent mistreatment and torture, and vows to monitor the investigations to ensure that the findings are reliable,” it read.
It asserted the importance of legal safeguards to guarantee that all suspects are not subjected to mistreatment, based on best practices set forth by the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, known as the ‘Nelson Mandela Rules’.
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