A lorry driver, who was arrested five years ago and harassed by the police, won a suit against the government and the police on Friday after the High Court ruled in his favour. He is entitled to receive RM 350, 000 according to the court ruling.
Justice John Louis O'Hara awarded the compensation to B Prabakar, for the damages and torture he underwent during the custody and also considered the seven policemen liable for his sufferings.
"I find from the evidence, liability was proved on seven defendants, and the grievous nature and the pain and suffering he (plaintiff) had endured during the interrogation...," Bernama quoted O'Hara as saying.
The 32-year-old lorry driver was ordered RM150,000 for exemplary and punitive damages, RM100,000 for aggravated damages and RM50,000 for general damages.
The seven defendants also have to pay RM50,000 in costs, RM1,500 for loss of income, RM150 for medical bill and RM75 for photographs of Prabakar's injuries
According to reports, the plaintiff had claimed that the seven policemen had tortured him when under arrest. He had been beaten up and splashed with hot water as a part of the torture.
Prabakar's suit filed on September 21, 2011 named three sergeants, Mohd Shafiee Abdul Halim, Mohd Diah Sulaiman, Zulkiplly Taib, two corporals Abdullah Musa and Zamrin Zaid, three lance corporals Matila, Nizam Abd Wahab and Brickfields district police chief Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari, and lastly the Government.
Prabakar in his statement claimed that he was arrested by police on 23 December, 2008 from a car park. He was interrogated by the above named policemen at the Brickfields police headquarters for one night.
