VibeOne.com :.: News :.: Woolmer Died of Natural Causes

Woolmer Died of Natural Causes

By BBC - Caribbean
June 12, 2007
........................................................................................................................................

Jamaican police have confirmed that Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer died of natural causes and was not murdered, as they stated earlier.

Mr. Woolmer, 58, died after being found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room on 18 March, following his team's loss to Ireland in the cricket World Cup.

An initial pathologist's report concluded that he had been strangled.

Every member of the Pakistan team was

Jamaican police say that Woolmer's family were relieved

fingerprinted before returning home, sparking anger among many in Pakistan.

'No Poison'

Jamaican Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas told a news conference in Kingston that three expert opinions had concluded that the original pathologist report of death by manual asphyxiation was wrong.

Mr. Thomas also said that toxicology tests had now been received and that they showed there was no substance to indicate poisoning.

"The police have now closed the investigation into the death of Bob Woolmer," he said.

"We got [the bone] x-rayed and the fact is that the bone wasn't broken in the first place"
Mark Shields, deputy police commissioner

Virgin already flies between London and the resort town of Montego Bay.

Mr. Thomas launched a strong defence of the police investigation, saying it had been commended by both Scotland Yard and Pakistani police who had helped with the case.

The original pathologist's report had said a specific bone - the hyoid - was fractured.

But deputy police commissioner Mark Shields told the BBC a later x-ray showed the bone was not broken.

"I instructed my team... to go back and actually retrieve it from his body... We got it x-rayed and the fact is that the bone wasn't broken in the first place," he said.

Mr. Woolmer's widow, Gill, welcomed the latest news, saying: "My sons and I are relieved to be officially informed that Bob died of natural causes and that no foul play is suspected in his death."

'Terrible days'

Mr. Woolmer's death sparked speculation he had been murdered by an angry fan or by an illegal betting syndicate. There was also speculation members of the Pakistan team may have been involved.

Mr. Thomas said the Jamaica

"They should have first ruled out natural causes before this whole drama about the murder"
Imran Khan

Constabulary Force had found no evidence "of any impropriety by players, match officials nor management."

He said the force had carried out its investigation thoroughly and with respect to the Pakistan cricket team.

But Pakistan's former captain Imran Khan said he was shocked there was no apology to the national side.

He said Pakistan's cricket board should sue those responsible for the "humiliation that the Pakistan team went through."

"Bob Woolmer had diabetes, he had blood pressure, an enlarged heart, he had respiratory problems. On top of it, the depression of losing and then he drank a bottle of champagne. They should have first ruled out natural causes before this whole drama about the murder," Imran Khan said.

But Inzamam-ul-Haq, captain during the World Cup, said that although the days after Mr Woolmer's death were "the most terrible of our lives", legal action now would serve no purpose.

The Pakistan Cricket Board made no mention of legal action in its statement, saying only that it felt "great satisfaction over the fact that the truth has finally come out."

The BBC's Andy Gallacher in Kingston says this is an embarrassing U-turn for the Jamaican police.

He says the news conference was an attempt to shift the blame for the errors in the case onto the report of the original pathologist, Dr. Ere Sheshiah.