And while that inspector will be facing jail time, will anybody be charged for the death of 26-year-old Daniel Cal? Yesterday we told you that he was arrested on Friday, held until Tuesday, and then passed away on Thursday at the Western Regional Hospital. By the time his family got to see him in the cell, he was covered in bruises and had a gash in his head, which had been stitched up. He was also in nothing but his boxers and lying semi-conscious on the floor of the cell.
Today the Minister of Home Affairs informed us that he was initially charged with handling stolen goods and that they have already launched an investigation into the matter. He said preliminary information suggests that Cal had been suffering from seizures and was taken to the hospital twice. But he added that it's not just the police that's involved in this investigation, and they're hoping an expedited postmortem will clear things up.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"On Monday morning after his detention on Friday he had fallen ill within the cell. I believe it is around three in the morning. He was taken to the Western Regional Hospital where he was treated and thereafter the medical practitioners released him back into the custody of police."
"However, because Tuesday was a holiday, they were unable to charge him then. On Wednesday, I believe he had another instance from the information that I'm receiving. It was seizures that he was suffering from and so he was again taken back to the hospital on Wednesday and I believe he passed away on Thursday."
"Because it was a case of not in custody death but shortly after being in custody, we have asked the NFSS to expedite the postmortem. I have been assured that that will be done on Monday. I have also reached out to the Ministry of Health personnel to contact the doctors at the hospital that treated Mr. Cal when he was taken there on Monday and then thereafter taken there again on Wednesday for them to indicate whether Mr. Cal during his time there at the hospital had indicated anything to the doctors because I believe that there's some sort of insinuation that police might have hit him."
"But from the accounts that the police have provided so far, it seems that the knock on his head was as a result of the seizure he suffered. We've already checked the cameras at the station and there's nothing to suggest that there was any instance of violence between police and the individual that was detained and so it's very early in investigation but we are putting serious priority on it."
Reporter
"Isn't it concerning? he was found with bruises all his body. if he had a seizure, if he had a fall, I don't see how this seizure, I mean, the bruises would be in his legs, on his arms. A, B, he's in the care of police custody. He was found naked in his boxers with faeces."
"He had, you know, defecated himself and the family wasn't informed, even though they were repeatedly checking, they were not informed not once that your loved one is in this type of situation."
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Yeah, I'm sure the family is going through a very devastating time right now and my heart goes out to them."
"I'm sure they have their version and the police has their version, which is why the investigation is important because so far there's no suggestion of the bruises like you're suggesting. And that is why a post -mortem by the National Forensic Science Service is very important to determine the cause of death and to see whether or not there were, in fact, these bruises that you're speaking of."
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