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| April 22, 2007 | Sunday | Rabi-us-Sani 04, 1428 |
Police claim Woolmer case suspect identified
KINGSTON (Jamaica), April 21: The Jamaica Police claim that there has been a breakthrough in the murder of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer.
At least one suspect in Woolmer murder case has been identified from security camera footage in his hotel, amid growing evidence that he was poisoned.
After nearly a month of little progress, investigators in Jamaica announced on Friday that there were ‘significant developments’ in the hunt for Woolmer's killer or killers.
The opening of an inquest into Woolmer's death, due to take place on Monday, was postponed after a series of breakthroughs by the team of 30 officers working on the inquiry, including detectives from the Scotland Yard.
Reports published in a British daily The Independent claim that digital enhancement by the Scotland Yard of CCTV footage from cameras on the 12th floor of the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston, where Woolmer was staying, has identified at least one suspect in the killing.
Police, however, have declined to comment on the identity of the suspect or say whether he is a member of the Pakistan team or management. The 58-year old Woolmer was found unconscious in hotel room (number 374) just a day after Pakistan lost to Ireland in the group match at the Sabina Park on March 17. He died a few hours later with the police suspecting that he was killed.
The investigators led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields interviewed all the Pakistan team members including the officials and even their DNA samples were taken. The DNA samples of Ireland players were also taken but the police denied that the players or the team officials were being treated as a suspect.
According to some reports Woolmer was poisoned with aconite, which is a deadly poison. His post-mortem examination found he had a broken bone in his neck, suggesting he was strangled. Toxicology tests last week found traces of a poison in his stomach, urine and blood, showing he was incapacitated before being asphyxiated.—Agencies
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