The High Court in Penang today awarded the family of death in police custody victim Cheah Chin Lee RM184,000 in a negligence suit filed against the government.

The defendants in the case were the federal government, then inspector-general of police Ismail Omar, then Rela director-general Mustafa Ibrahim, 14 Rela members and the policemen who were on duty when Chin Lee was in custody at the Tanjung Tokong police station lock-up.

Cheah’s mother Lim Gaik Suan, 71, and sister Cheah Saw Imm, 51, were awarded the amount, with a five percent interest from the date of filing on Aug 18, 2015.

In his judgment, judicial commissioner Abdul Wahab Mohamed said the defendants were liable for Chin Lee’s death in the lock-up...