Tourist found dead in Malaysian police cell

AFP/Kuala Lumpur

A 33-year Japanese tourist arrested for allegedly threatening Malaysian police with a knife has been found dead in a police cell and is believed to have hanged himself, a senior police official said yesterday.

Nobuhiro Matsushita was found dead early Saturday and is believed to have hanged himself by using his shirt, Yahaya Ramli, a district police chief, said in a text message.

Yahaya said there were no injuries to the body of Matsushita, who was arrested on June 2 for brandishing a knife at auxiliary police after resisting arrest in the suburb of Subang Jaya, just west of Kuala Lumpur.

Matsushita was from Tokyo and initial findings showed he had come to Malaysia as tourist, the local police chief said.

Deaths in police custody have sparked public anger in Malaysia in recent weeks.

Last Wednesday the government brought murder charges against three policemen over the death in custody of a 32-year old truck driver.

There have been more than 160 deaths in custody since 2000.