Family rejects cops’ claim they followed SOPs in death in custody case

Khairulnizam Rani from the IGP secretariat’s corporate communications division receives the memorandum from LFL representatives Wan Nabilah Dina and Rania Aljunied outside the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters today. On the right is Nooranis Zulkefly, brother of the deceased, Noorizwan Zulkefly. KUALA LUMPUR: The family of a man who died in police custody has rejected claims by the Kuala Lumpur police chief that his arrest and detention were carried out in accordance with SOPs.

Noorizwan Zulkefly’s younger brother, Nooranis, expressed outrage over claims by the police that they adhered to proper protocols

Noorizwan, who would have turned 42 today, had been linked to three recent cases, one involving drugs and two involving criminal offences.

Nooranis alleged that officers kept the family in the dark for 12 days, and told hospital staff that Noorizwan had no next of kin despite the family home being located just five minutes from the Cheras police headquarters.

He said officers from the Bukit Aman federal police headquarters had previously assured his family that the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters and Cheras police headquarters would not be involved in the investigation into his brother’s death.

“So, why is the Kuala Lumpur police chief issuing a statement about this now?

“I don’t want a statement from the Kuala Lumpur police chief. I want a statement from the inspector-general of police. This is a serious issue. We are Malaysians, and we have our rights,” he said outside Bukit Aman today.

The family, accompanied by representatives from Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) and civil society members, gathered outside Bukit Aman to submit a formal memorandum of protest endorsed by 53 NGOs, rights groups, as well as Noorizwan’s father and five siblings.

About 40 supporters had assembled by 10.30am, growing to about 60 by the time the memorandum was accepted at 11.45am by Khairulnizam Rani from the IGP secretariat’s corporate communications division.

Those present held placards reading "Uniform bukan lesen bertindak sesuka hati" (A uniform is not a licence to act at will) and "CCTV lokap! Pelihara semua bukti" (Lock-up CCTV! Preserve all evidence), while chanting "Tangkap pembunuh" (Arrest the killers) and "Tuntut keadilan" (Demand justice) outside the main gates.

The memorandum listed four main demands, including the reclassification of the case as murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, the suspension and arrest of all officers involved during Noorizwan's detention at the Cheras police headquarters - specifically targeting D4 division personnel - and a public explanation on why the family was kept uninformed.

LFL said the police must secure and preserve all lock-up CCTV recordings, lock-up diaries, detention logs, and medical records to prevent any tampering of evidence.

“When the body was handed over to the family, they saw bruises all over. Those bruises could not be for any reason other than that he was hit or beaten,” said LFL director Rania Aljunied.

Noorizwan was arrested on Sept 20 and held at the Cheras police headquarters for 11 days without his family’s knowledge, before being taken to Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz UKM on Sept 30, where he was pronounced dead on Oct 1.

On Oct 12, HUKM’s senior forensic pathologist confirmed to the family and their legal team that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Autopsy logs revealed 21 severe injuries, including generalised brain hemorrhage, internal abdominal bleeding, and extensive swelling from his skull down to the soles of his feet.