Updated: 04/23/2014 12:17 | By Channel NewsAsia
Mother of inmate who died in prison reaches settlement with govt
SINGAPORE: The mother of inmate Dinesh Raman who died in prison has reached a settlement with the government, and is withdrawing all allegations of assault and abuse of authority against Prison Service officers.
A news statement issued jointly by Mdm Selvi Narayanasamy and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Mdm Selvi "unreservedly and unconditionally" drops all the allegations which she had filed in a claim on September 2013.
Mdm Selvi also accepts and agrees unconditionally and unequivocally that Dinesh Raman's death was caused solely through Deputy Superintendent of Prison Lim Kwo Yin's negligence.
Last July, a district court fined senior prison officer Lim Kwo Yin S$10,000 for failing to exercise adequate supervision over officers of Singapore Prison Service.
Dinesh Raman had died from positional asphyxia on September 27, 2010 after he was restrained for making an unprovoked attack on a prison officer.
The joint statement added that Mdm Selvi also "accepts unconditionally and unequivocally that the discontinuance of the coroner's inquiry into the death of Dinesh Raman was in accordance with the law".
Mdm Selvi is hence withdrawing the writ filed against the prison officers.
The joint statement also said the government had from the outset admitted responsibility for the death of Dinesh Raman caused by the negligence of Deputy Superintendent of Prison Lim Kwo Yin and informed Mdm Selvi of its willingness to pay compensation for Dinesh Raman's death.
In fact, the government offered a settlement sum on September 10, 2013, but Mdm Selvi did not accept it.
The joint statement noted that Mdm Selvi has now proposed settlement at a level which the government had indicated from the start it was prepared to consider.
On April 15, the government and Mdm Selvi amicably arrived at a settlement on all the claims, disputes, issues and matters related to the death of Dinesh Raman. - CNA/nd
