The body of slain Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was released by a coroner and will be returned to his South African homeland.
Police Deputy Commissioner Mark Shields, who has been leading the homicide investigation, is working with a funeral home to repatriate the body as soon as possible, a statement from Jamaica’s National Security Ministry said on Monday.
The statement did not explain the timing of the body’s release.
A coroner’s inquest scheduled to begin on Monday was postponed indefinitely because of undisclosed developments in the case. A statement from the Jamaican Justice Ministry said the decision was taken following advice from the coroner.
The Jamaica Gleaner newspaper said that the inquest had been postponed because of security concerns as the hearing was scheduled to begin a day before the first World Cup semifinal, being held at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
The report claimed that police had met coroner Patrick Murphy. During the meeting it was determined that the combined events would stretch police resources.
Shields said: ”My principal concerns were [that] to conduct an inquest at this stage may seriously hinder the progress of the criminal investigation, including the potential for the suspect or suspects to be alerted as to the progress of the investigation.
”It might also prejudice a jury trial and the investigation is still at an early stage and is extremely complicated, and holding an inquest now would be premature. There is also the consideration of the semifinal happening in Kingston at the same time.”
Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room and pronounced dead within an hour at a hospital on March 18, the morning after his powerhouse Pakistan team were upset at the World Cup by Ireland and knocked out in the first round.
Four days later, police said he was strangled. Police said this month they received results of toxicology tests, but did not release them pending further analysis.
On Wednesday, Ireland’s World Cup squad supplied statements, fingerprints and DNA samples as part of the ongoing police investigation. ”These tests were carried out with a view to eliminating the Ireland squad from their enquiries,” said a team statement. — Sapa-AP, AFP