SEREMBAN: A widow was today awarded a total of RM446,780 in damages by the High Court following her husband's death while in police custody in 2017.
Judicial Commissioner Wan Fadhilah Wan Idris when delivering the judgment allowed the compensation claim to M. Vimala Devy after taking into account the testimony provided by a forensic pathologist who mentioned that the deceased, M. Segar, had suffered multiple blunt force trauma wounds which led to his death.
"The court is of the view that the police are responsible for the death of the deceased, which took place when the deceased was under their custody.
"With this, the court allows the compensation claim to the plaintiff, M. Vimala Devy amounting to RM446,780," she said.
The court awarded the plaintiff RM63,000 for loss of support, RM3,780 for funeral expenses, RM30,000 for bereavement, RM150,000 for misfeasance in public office by civil servants and aggravated damages amounting to RM200,000.
The court also ordered the respondents to pay RM20,000 in costs and five per cent interest to the plaintiff from March 30, 2022.
According to the suit, the deceased aged 46-years-old worked as a stall helper while Vimala Devy, 44, was a stay-at-home wife. They have a son.
The plaintiff was represented by lawyers Haresh Mahadevan and Ramzani Idris, while lawyer Shah Wira Abdul Halim represented the government.
Previously, it was reported that the deceased was detained by police at the Port Dickson district station for allegedly being involved in drug abuse in 2017.
In the 1.55am incident, the deceased was found unconscious in the lock-up cell.