Thirty-year-old Devendra Singh of Number 65 Village, Corentyne, East Berbice, who was an inmate at the New Amsterdam Prison, died as a result of an enlarged liver, failed kidneys, and diabetes, according to a post-mortem report.
Singh, who was serving a 16-month sentence for assault, died at the New Amsterdam Hospital on Wednesday after spending several days in critical condition.
Four days later, information regarding his death remains sketchy, as the Guyana Prison Service has been silent on the matter, even with a request from the media for answers.
A relative of the deceased had disclosed that for two weeks, the family went without hearing from Singh and this prompted a visit from his mother and father, both of whom live overseas.
Upon visiting the prison on Monday, they were told that Singh was found in his cell injured and had to be rushed to the hospital, where he was admitted on Thursday.
Before then, the family insisted that no one called or informed them that Singh had been hospitalised.
Anxious to see him, the family went to the hospital on Tuesday where they observed that he bore visible marks of violence. They were not allowed to take photographs or make any recording.
Upon enquiring what may have happened, they were told by the officer in charge that Singh was in a cell with two others when he was found. The officer added nothing seemed amiss the day and night before he was found.
The Central Investigation Department (CID) was called in and the two prisoners were questioned.
The post mortem examination was conducted on Thursday, and concluded that Singh died as a result of an enlarged liver, failed kidney and diabetes
The mother of the dead man, Vilma Singh told the Sunday Stabroek that there were marks of violence on his body.
“If you have diabetes and kidney failure and heart problems, or whatever. My son had violent marks on his entire body; his entire face was completely swollen, his eyes were swollen, his ears were swollen and he had a lot of wounds both on his two arms. I don’t know what was it but something is just not right”, she said.
Singh insisted that her son was a healthy person and never had any medical issues.
“My son was a healthy big strapping young man. Yes, he was in prison for assaulting his family, and I called the police and they arrested him. Yes, I put my son there, but I did not put him there for anyone to assault him … like that”, she added.
The woman said that the way the prison service dealt with the matter and not calling the family when he was admitted is suspicious. Coupled with that, the family was barred from observing the post-mortem examination.
Singh is now hoping for a second autopsy to be done, saying that it’s going to be different since the doctor has to come from overseas.
