The Malaysian Insight

MOHAMAD Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi, a religious school pupil whose death caused an uproar in April, died of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals, the second post mortem revealed.

Thaqif’s family, however, are incensed that they were given this news today by reporters, instead of the police or the Health Ministry.

His mother, Felda Wani Ahmad told The Malaysian Insight today that she will not accept the post mortem results, questioning why none of the other students in the school – Madrasah Tahfiz Al-Jauhar – had not contracted the disease.

The last check showed that the school had 109 pupils and six teachers.

“Something is not right,” Felda told The Malaysian Insight.

Following the decision, Felda said her family will seek advice from lawyers and decide whether to take legal action over the matter.

A check on the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website showed that the bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through the urine of infected animals.

Johor CID chief Kamarul Zaman Mamat told The Malaysian Insight that the police was informed of the result of the second post mortem result a few days ago.

“We are waiting for the complete documentation on the post mortem results, which will be handed to the deputy public prosecutor,” said Kamarul Zaman.

The 11-year-old Thaqif’s case received wide media coverage as the first post mortem revealed signs of abuse.

A 29-year-old assistant warden in the school was arrested to facilitate investigations as reports emerged that he had beaten Thaqif with a rubber hose.

The assistant warden, who had a previous conviction for robbery, was later released on a RM20,000 court bond.

Felda also questioned why the police and hospital authorities did not inform her and the family before releasing the results to the media.

“I’m still shocked, I think the results are illogical. We can accept that he (Thaqif) is gone, but we cannot accept the results,” she said.

On May 18, Thaqif’s body was exhumed as pathologists wanted more tissue samples for the second post-mortem.

Thaqif who had both the legs amputated due to bacterial infection, died on April 26.

Earlier that day he was supposed to have his right arm amputated after it turned necrotic but doctors decided to postpone it as his condition worsened. He died a few hours later.

It is understood that Thaqif had complained to his mother about the beatings and also wrote in his diary about how the abuse had started in March.

“Dear Allah, please open my parents’ hearts to allow me to transfer to another school because I cannot stand it anymore. Please, Allah, make my wishes come true,” a daily quoted from one of Thaqif’s diary entries, as related by his aunt.

In a previous interview with The Malaysian Insight, Thaqif’s father, Gaddafi, had said that it was his son’s ambition was to become a hafiz (a person who has memorised the Quran). – July 10, 2017.