ALT ALT ALT

Ewansiha’s widow: Malaysia doing autopsy on my husband without consent

Ewansiha’s widow: Malaysia doing autopsy on my husband without consent

PUCHONG: The post-mortem done on the late Nigerian doctorate student Thomas Orhions Ewansiha, who died at the hands of Malaysian Immigration Department, is done without family consent.

Ewansiha’s widow, only known as Blessing, said this to Nigerian newspaper Punch recently.

“Both sides of his neck were cut down to his chest and lower abdomen. They tore the upper and lower parts of his body without our consent.

“No Nigerian, no family member was there. They don’t have any right to do that. It is suspicious and that is why we want to perform a fresh autopsy on him,” Blessing was quoted saying.

She also alleged that there was a concerted effort to conceal what really happened to Ewansiha and to cover up Malaysian authorities’ role in causing the latter’s death.

According to several news reports, Blessing said that her husband had recently visited Nigeria and wanted to share his experiences and deliver some messages from loved ones to his fellow citizens also living in Malaysia.

“On arrival at the destination in Malaysia, Ewansiha called his friend who stayed in one of the apartments to meet him at a particular restaurant as he wanted to have dinner.

“While waiting for his meal, immigration officers, in a commando-style operation, swooped in on Ewansiha in what was later discovered to be a raid on the neighbourhood of black immigrants,” she was quoted as saying.

Blessing claimed the immigration officers came in private vehicles and that there was nothing to identify them as immigration officers as they were not in uniform.

“They rushed out of their various vehicles, holding sticks and they were chasing Nigerians.

“My husband’s car was parked close by, so he was rushing into his car when the immigration officers held and handcuffed him alongside other victims,” she was quoted as saying by Punch.

Blessing said her husband was shocked but remained calm, as he knew he had all his necessary documents and permits.

“In the commotion, Ewansiha was beaten, manhandled and handcuffed. He was forced to sit on the floor while the immigration officers raided other apartments, finally arresting over 20 black immigrants,” she said.

She added that Ewansiha had tried in vain to explain to the immigration officers that he had valid papers with him.

“Even with a valid visa, they took him away and locked him up. The immigration office didn’t inform his university until he died in their custody,” said Blessing.

On July 12, Ewansiha, a doctorate student from Lim Kok Wing University, was found dead after a seizure while being held in custody by the Immigration Department.

 He was detained on July 5 by the Immigration officials despite having valid documents.

Immigration director-general Khairul Dzaimee Daud defended Ewansiha’s detention, saying the agency followed SOP in the apprehending the Nigerian.

However, DAP MP Charles Santiago fired back at Khairul, telling the latter to explain why Ewansiha was detained despite him possessing valid documents.

The Nigerian High Commission in Malaysia and the Nigerian Diaspora Commission called for the Malaysian authorities to come clean on Ewansiha’s death.

The Immigration Department also came under fire this month for detaining even toddlers in its detention centres, denying their mothers access to the children.

Two weeks ago, US singer Maggie Lindemann said she was put in ‘living hell’ after immigration officials detained her for not having the proper permits for a performance in Kuala Lumpur.