The body of Infeanyi Nwokoye, the escaped 29-year-old migrant who died soon after he was taken back to the detention centre, has been released for burial after yesterday’s autopsy, sources close to the investigation told The Times.
Although the autopsy has not yet identified the cause of death because test results are still awaited, the fact the body has been released indicates there is no suspicion of foul play, according to the sources.
They said a fellow Nigerian migrant who was asked to identify the body yesterday noticed the eyes were red and insisted he may have been bruised. However, this was not revealed in the autopsy.
Mr Nwokoye escaped from the Safi detention centre on Saturday night along with another six rejected asylum seekers. He and another of the men were caught but the others are still on the run.
He was said to have a slow pulse rate after he was taken in and lost consciousness, in a sign he may have suffered a heart attack. However, the autopsy has not, as yet, confirmed or revoked this. According to the sources, the migrant showed no external signs of violence.
The man had been living in Malta since 2006 but his request for asylum had been rejected. He was recently back at the detention centre after the deportation paperwork was settled.
Meanwhile, an inquiry board has been set up by the Justice Ministry to look into the escape of seven migrant detainees on Saturday and the eventual death of one of them. It is headed by former government adviser on defence matters, Martin Scicluna.
This is apart from the routine police investigation and the magisterial inquiry.
The inquiry board will not only look into the death but will also examine the operations of the Detention Service in relation to the escapes and the search conducted by the service.
The board was also asked to establish whether there was negligence, non-observance of regulations or abuse related to the incident and to submit whatever recommendations it feels are necessary.
The seven immigrants, from Egypt, Algeria, Palestine and Somalia, escaped from the Safi detention centre during a change of shift at 9.30 p.m.
Sources reported some disturbance within the detention centre yesterday as Nigerian migrants, who have just fled violence in Libya, were told by those who have been in Malta for a while that people from Nigeria were unlikely to obtain asylum.
No one was reported to have been hurt during the incident.