The process to exhume the body of Cradle Fund CEO Nazrin Hassan was carried out at Kota Damansara Muslim Cemetery in Seksyen 9, Petaling Jaya, this morning.
- Heavy police presence
- Widow urges caution against breach of justice and sanctity over exhumation
The exhumation was conducted after the Court of Appeal dismissed the application by Nazrin’s widow Samirah Muzaffar to postpone it.
There was a heavy police presence at the cemetery with police personnel guarding the entrance and several others inside the cemetery compound.
Police arrived as early as 8.30am together with several officers and personnel from the Kuala Lumpur Hospital Forensic and Pathology Department.
Also present were religious officers from Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and Selangor Mufti Department.
Family members were also at the site but they refused to speak to the media.
Counsel for Nazrin’s wife Samirah Muzaffar, LS Leonard arrived at the cemetery around 9.20am, with a hearse arriving five minutes later.
He urged the exhumation to be conducted in accordance with the rule of law, existing procedures and the highest standards of ethics.
He said any error of law and wrong procedures in the exhumation process will not only impede the investigation into Nazrin’s death but will cause serious miscarriage of justice to his rights as the deceased, and the sanctity of his grave.
“It is pertinent to note that the exhumation of a deceased’s body is a serious matter from the legal point of view as well as Islamic rights,” he said in a statement
Leonard stressed that Samirah and her family fully supported the ongoing investigation and have accorded their fullest cooperation to the authorities.
At around 12.40pm, several police escorts were seen leaving the cemetery escorting a hearse, believed to be transporting Nazrin’s remains.
The remains are expected to be transported to the Universiti Malaya Medical Centre’s Pathology Department where a second post-mortem will be performed.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Mazlan Mansor said the exhumation process went well.
“We treated the deceased with the utmost respect throughout the exhumation process. The second post-mortem will be performed, but we do not know yet when it will be concluded or when the remains will be returned to the cemetery,” he said.
Earlier last month, Nazrin’s brother, Dr Malek Hassan requested for a second post-mortem.
He was unhappy with the post-mortem report released by Kuala Lumpur Hospital and felt something was not right with the findings of the first autopsy.
“I was told the cause of death was due to a phone blast. I am a medical doctor with 30 years’ of experience and I felt the cause of death is not right,” he said on Oct 2.
Related reports:
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Oct 5, Bid by Cradle CEO’s Widow to Stop Exhumation Dismissed
Oct 3, Cradle CEO’s Brother Says Post-Mortem Report Way Off
Oct 1, Body of Cradle CEO to be Exhumed for Second Post-Mortem
Sept 26, Cradle CEO’s Murder: Sis-in-Law and Husband Released from Remand
Sept 24, Sis-in-Law and Husband Arrested in Cradle CEO Murder Probe
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Aug 14, Wife of Slain Cradle CEO Slams Probe, Disputes Police Claim of Murder
Aug 6, Death of Cradle Chief in Fire Reclassified as Murder
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