Pakistan’s World Cup players were being questioned on Thursday as the investigation into the death of Bob Woolmer became embroiled in a fevered round of speculation and denial.
The questioning comes on the same day that two Jamaican newspapers claimed that 58-year-old Woolmer, who died on Sunday, had been strangled.
That alleged cause of death follows earlier rumours of poisoning and even killing at the hands of members of the criminal underworld keen to avoid exposure in allegations of match-fixing that may have arisen in a book that Woolmer was planning to write.
”We’re going through a process of speaking to people, including members of the team,” said Mark Shields, the deputy chief commissioner of the Jamaican police force.
Pakistan, who have been already eliminated from the World Cup, are to due to leave for home on Saturday after spending two days in Montego Bay.
Meanwhile, the Jamaica Gleaner said a ”high-ranking police officer” had confirmed that fresh evidence has surfaced that suggested that Woolmer was strangled in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
According to the police officer, he was found half-naked in his room, partially wrapped in a towel, the newspaper said.
”A bone in the neck, near the glands, was broken, and this suggests that somebody might have put some pressure on it,” the officer told the newspaper.
”We are now treating this as a homicide.”
The Jamaica Observer also quoted unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that bones in the lower part of Woolmer’s face were broken, suggesting he had been strangled.
Pakistan team spokesperson Pervez Mir dismissed the suggestions.
”I’m afraid I cannot count these as accurate because the Jamaican police force hasn’t given us official information as to what were the causes of Bob’s death,” Mir said.
Woolmer died in hospital on Sunday after being found unconscious in his hotel room a day after Pakistan were knocked out of the World Cup following a shock defeat by minnows Ireland.
Shields said on Tuesday that an autopsy conducted on Woolmer’s body by a government pathologist proved inconclusive as to the cause of death, which was being treated as ”suspicious.”
Shields said the police were awaiting the results of the toxicology and histology analysis from Woolmer’s tissue sample.
On Wednesday night, a press release from the Jamaica Constabulary Force director of communications, Karl Angell, said a second opinion was being sought on the autopsy.
That has resulted in a pathologist being flown in from the United States.
Meanwhile, Woolmer’s widow Gill admitted that there was a ”possibility” her husband was murdered.
In an interview with Britain’s Sky News television from her home in South Africa, she said: ”I suppose there is always the possibility,” apparently contradicting statements she made to Indian television in which she dismissed the possibility of a conspiracy or a match-fixing link.
”I mean some of the cricketing-fraternity fans are extremely volatile and passionate about the game and what happens in the game, and also a lot of it in Asia, so I suppose there is always the possibility that it could be that.”
She added: ”It fills me with horror, I just can’t believe that people could behave like that or that anyone would want to harm someone who has done such a great service to international cricket.”
After Pakistan had beaten Zimbabwe in their final match on Wednesday, the entire squad gathered at the team hotel, the Jamaica Pegasus where Woolmer died, to hold a memorial service.
A minute of silence was also observed.
Team manager Talat Ali said his association with Woolmer had been great.
”He really worked hard for the Pakistan team,” said Ali. — AFP
