KUALA LUMPUR (July 3): The Malaysian Prisons Department said it respects the legal process and will continue to cooperate fully with the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), the Attorney General’s Chambers and the judiciary to ensure proceedings are carried out transparently, fairly and in accordance with the law.
It was commenting after five prison officers were charged in separate Magistrate’s Courts in Taiping on Friday over alleged assaults involving three inmates at Taiping Prison on Jan 17 last year.
The department said in a statement Friday that the charges represent the latest development in ongoing legal proceedings linked to the case, following the earlier prosecution of another officer under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code.
In Friday’s proceedings, all five officers pleaded not guilty. Two were charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt using a baton, while the remaining three were charged under Section 323 for voluntarily causing hurt.
The officers were each granted bail and the courts fixed Sept 7 and Sept 8 for mention and document submission.
The department’s response comes after the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) said in its findings last month that the Taiping Prison incident involved alleged human rights violations, including excessive force, poor medical care, weak oversight and delays in investigations.
The Prisons Department said it remains committed to integrity, professionalism and accountability, and will not tolerate misconduct that undermines public confidence in the institution.
It also stressed the importance of the right to a fair trial and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
The public was urged not to speculate or make comments that could prejudice the ongoing court proceedings, and the department said it will continue to assist authorities until the case is concluded through the proper legal process.