Death of prisoner in Enmore lock-ups

The police have found no evidence to support allegations that Ramesh Sawh called ‘Kenny’ died after a beating he suffered while in custody, and are refuting the family’s claims.

Sawh’s body was found hanging by his jersey in the lock-ups at Enmore Police Outpost on Thursday last. He had been arrested pending investigations into a report of larceny of a motor vehicle battery.

The police through the Office of Professional Responsibility launched an investigation into the death of the man, after his relatives alleged that he had been beaten while in custody.

“The investigations have found no evidence to substantiate the allegations made and which are being refuted by the Police Force,” the police said in a press release issued yesterday.

“This is supported by the results of a post-mortem examination that was performed today on the body of Ramesh Sawh by Dr Nehaul Singh at the GPHC mortuary, where the cause of death was given as ‘asphyxiation due to compression in the neck due to hanging; no signs of beating’,” the release said.

The police are calling on members of the public who may have witnessed any beating or any action by the police not in keeping with the ethics of the profession to give a statement to the Office of Professional Responsi- bility, Police Headquarters, Eve Leary.

Sawh was before the Cove and John Court on a charge of break and enter and larceny, which was still being heard. Police said Sawh had been previously charged with several other matters that had been completed before the courts, which included possession of narcotics, threatening behaviour and burglary.