KINGSTON, May 8: Jamaican police are maintaining that Pakistan's cricket coach Bob Woolmer was strangled amid reports of claims by the Pakistani press that their two investigators have said that local police are yet to establish conclusive evidence on Woolmer’s murder.

Speaking with The Gleaner on Tuesday, director of communication for the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Karl Angell, said the JCF's investigation was based on credible evidence. "The pathologist did an autopsy. He said to us in a written report that the man died from asphyxiation occasioned by manual strangulation, based on that our investigation proceeded but we have always said that the investigation is an open investigation and all angles are being looked at," said Angell.

According to a Pakistani news agency on the weekend, two sleuths, sent to the island to assist with local police investigations into the death of Bob Woolmer, had submitted a 40-page report to the Pakistani Interior Ministry on Saturday, claiming there was no conclusive evidence that the team coach was strangled.

But speaking with Jamaica police on Tuesday, Pakistani investigator Zubair Mahmood denied speaking to Pakistani reporters on the issue and reiterated that he was satisfied with the direction the investigation was taking, Angell said.

"Mr. Mahmood has indicated to us that a report was submitted to his boss and that he had no discussion with any journalists or with anybody else regarding the report. In private conversation with the Constabulary Force, Mr. Mahmood said that he is pleased with the way the investigation was going and he made no such deductions," added Angell. Attempts to reach Zubair Mahmood for a personal comment were not successful.

Pakistan said on Tuesday it expects to hear ‘conclusive’ word in about two weeks on how national cricket coach Bob Woolmer died during the recent World Cup in the West Indies.

“The Jamaican investigators “will take 10 to 15 days to come out with a conclusive report” on the cause of Woolmer’s death,” Javed Iqbal Cheema, a senior Interior Ministry official, told reporters.—Agencies