Tuberculosis kills Somali on trial for piracy

One of the 120 alleged Somali pirates nabbed in four operations died of natural causes at JJ Hospital on Sunday. The 28-year-old undertrial, Abdi Chama, had tuberculosis and suffered from other lung-related ailments.

A native of Mogadishu, Chama was arrested on March 16, 2011. He was lodged at Taloja jail. Official documents list his relative as his mother, Bargi.

Officials said it was difficult to say who would receive the body as there was no contact with the next of kin. The Somalian embassy in Delhi was informed and it was learnt to be making arrangements for the body to be received from the JJ Hospital.

“We are ensuring that the body will be handed over to the embassy in full consciousness of the human rights of undertrials and honourably,” special public prosecutor Ranjit Sangle said.

The death comes soon after the accused expressing their intention to plead guilty. The intention of the accused was communicated to visiting officials of the Somalian embassy last week and was in turn relayed in writing to the state home department.

Source: Times Of India