Inmate death case: Challenge withdrawn

SINGAPORE — The mother of prison inmate Dinesh Raman Chinnaiah, who died while he was in custody, has withdrawn an appeal to challenge the court’s decision to vacate a coroner’s inquiry after reaching a settlement with the authorities earlier this month. Mdm Selvi Narayanasamy has also discontinued a civil suit against the authorities in seeking compensation for her son’s death, said a joint statement released by the Home Affairs Ministry and Mdm Selvi after a short hearing before the Court of Appeal this morning.

The statement said Mdm Selvi has “unreservedly and unconditionally” withdrawn all her allegations of assault and abuse of authority against Prison Service officers. “In this regard, Mdm Selvi accepts and agrees unconditionally and unequivocally that Dinesh Raman’s death was caused solely through Deputy Superintendent of Prison Lim Kwo Yin’s negligence, insofar as he had failed to exercise adequate supervision over officers of Singapore Prison Service and thereby caused Dinesh Raman’s death from positional asphyxia,” the statement added.

The statement noted that the Government had from the outset admitted responsibility for the death of Dinesh Raman caused by the negligence of Deputy Superintendent of Prison Lim and informed Mdm Selvi of its willingness to pay compensation for Dinesh Raman’s death. The Government offered a settlement sum on 10 September, last year which Mdm Selvi did not accept, the statement said. “Mdm Selvi has now proposed settlement at a level which the Government had indicated from the start it was prepared to consider,” the statement added.

The Government and Mdm Selvi had on April 15 amicably arrived at a settlement, on a full and final basis, in relation to all claims, disputes, issues and matters whatsoever relating to, arising from or in connection with the death of Dinesh Raman.