Coroner’s report raises more questions about inmate’s death

The family of a man who died while in custody at a provincial jail says a coroner’s report provides few answers but raises many more questions.

Soleiman Faqiri was waiting for a bail hearing at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay last December when he was found dead in a segregation cell.

Seven months later, a coroner’s report into his death found dozens of bruises on his body but listed the cause of death as “unascertained”.

The Faqiri family’s lawyer says, despite the uncertain cause of death, criminal charges need to be laid.

“In this case you are dealing with an individual who has been handcuffed at his wrists and ankles, he has a spit hood over his head, he has been pepper sprayed twice,” said Edward Marrocco. “In those circumstances, his body reveals 50 plus injuries, none of which are related to life saving efforts. In that case you are dealing with assault.”

Soleiman’s family says the former star athlete and straight-A student suffered from paranoid schizophrenia when he was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault and another count of uttering death threats on December 4th, 2016. According to the coroner’s report, leading up to his death, Soleiman refused to leave a shower for hours, spat on a guard, refused to re-enter his cell and resisted officers’ efforts to restrain him.

Kawartha Lakes Police have not yet laid any charges against staff from Central East Correctional Centre. The case is reportedly in the hands of the Crown Attorney and CityNews has confirmed that 14 correctional officers and one manager have been suspended with pay since the incident.

Yusuf Faqiri, Soleiman’s brother, isn’t just pointing the finger at corrections staff. He says the corrections minister has to answer for the system’s failure.

“My brother was criminally assaulted and people need to answer for that,” said Yusuf.

“Nobody deserved to die like this. No one. But this could’ve happened to anybody in this province, in this city.”

“We obviously know what the Kawartha Lakes Police service needs to do now, they need to lay criminal charges against those that are accountable for my brother’s death.”

Several sources familiar with the investigation tell CityNews they do not expect any charges to laid against officers, because they say none of the alleged assaults happened at the hands of the suspended officers.

A statement from the minister’s office says it would be “inappropriate for the ministry to comment further while investigations are underway and may be subject to a coroner’s inquest.”

A coroner’s inquest is expected to be called.