The immediate condemnation of Inspector General of Police Hamid Bador of the allegations of misconduct and torture by the LTTE detainees of the police when investigating them is ill advised and premature.
The said allegations were made by the said detainees on 1.11.2019 in court and Hamid’s statement was made a day later, after the implicated officers were questioned.
It is unlikely that the detainees have been questioned yet and I urge Hamid to indicate if they have. If they have not, it cannot be said that investigations into the said complaints are complete.
Hamid should, instead, launch a proper probe into the said allegations as he had promised in the case of two Nepali security guards who were allegedly victimised by the police stemming from an alleged burglary at a housing estate near Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.
In the case of the said Nepali security guards, Bukit Aman’s Integrity and Standards Compliance Department (JIPS) is said to be investigating the matter.
It is not clear if the said LTTE detainees have been afforded the same privilege as the said Nepali security guards.
With the greatest of respect, it is unlikely that the said LTTE detainees have been questioned, having regard to the short time between the said allegations by the them in court and Hamid’s statement yesterday that their allegations were purportedly baseless.
In the circumstances, it is hoped that a proper investigation into the said allegations of torture by the said LTTE detainees is conducted as, it seems at this stage, only the statements of the said implicated officers have been relied on.