Dead foreign student wasn’t assaulted, claims Immigration

KUALA LUMPUR: Immigration Department director general Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud has maintained that Thomas Orhions Ewansiha was not physically assaulted even though the post-mortem report from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital (HUKM) has not confirmed the Nigerian’s student’s death.
“As explained earlier, he (Thomas) died on July 9 and prior to that early treatment was given and the handling of his death was in compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP).
“The Immigration Department has met with the Nigerian Embassy, the causes of death had been explained,” he said, adding that the meeting with the Nigerian Embassy last Friday was also attended by 22 representatives from other embassies and high commissions.
In a statement last Friday, Khairul Dzaimee said that Thomas died on July 9 in custody after suffering a seizure while asleep.
Thomas was one of 20 foreigners picked up in an integrated operation on July 4 at Desa Aman Puri here following public complaints.
Meanwhile, the police gave the assurance that they would continue to monitor the situation at the Nigerian High Commission here following a demonstration staged by about 20 people, claiming to be from the Nigerians In Diaspora Organisation Malaysia (NIDO-MY) last Friday.
Thomas was a PhD student in management at the Lim Kok Wing University of Creative Technology. He leaves behind a wife and two children.