Inmate’s death: Settlement reached between mother, Govt

SINGAPORE — After persisting for months fighting for an inquest into her son’s death in prison as she rejected the official account of events, Madam Selvi Narayanasamy has done an about-face by proposing a settlement sum, which the Government has accepted.

With this turn of events, the 47-year-old — who had rejected a compensation offer from the Government and launched a series of court bids, including to the apex court, to pursue the matter — is “unreservedly and unconditionally” withdrawing her allegations that prison officers had abused their authority and assaulted her son, Dinesh Raman Chinnaiah.

“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,” read a joint statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Mdm Selvi.

Lim was fined S$10,000 after pleading guilty to causing Dinesh Raman’s death by his negligence in overseeing a restraint operation on the 21-year-old, who had launched an unprovoked attack on a prison officer. The State Coroner discontinued the inquiry after Lim’s case concluded.

It is not known when Mdm Selvi proposed the settlement or its quantum, though it was “at a level which the Government had indicated from the start it was prepared to consider”, the statement said. Previously, the MHA had said it took a “generous approach” in working out a compensation offer to Mdm Selvi, as it listed Dinesh Raman’s background, ranging from his secret society roots to his breaching of a Personal Protection Order against his mother.

The settlement was “amicably arrived at” on Apr 15. This was one week after the Appellate Court reserved judgment on Mdm Selvi’s appeal against a High Court’s finding that the State Coroner has the power to decide not to resume the inquiry into her son’s death.

The statement added that the Government had “from the outset admitted responsibility” for Dinesh Raman’s death on Sept 27, 2010, as well as its willingness to pay compensation. It made an offer on Sept 10 last year, which was turned down by Mdm Selvi.

Yesterday, Mdm Selvi’s lawyer M Ravi told the Appellate Court his client was withdrawing her appeal. Mdm Selvi, who was not in court, is also discontinuing a civil suit against the Government for compensation for her son’s death.

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Mr Ravi said Mdm Selvi was quite happy with the monetary compensation and that she was able to vindicate her rights before the courts. “There is also closure for her and she can move on with her life,” he added.