No charges in death of inmate who died while in restraints in segregation
Posted October 30, 2017 4:59 pm.
Last Updated October 30, 2017 11:53 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
No charges will be laid after an inmate at a correctional facility in Lindsay died while in restrains in a segregation cell last December.
Soleiman Faqiri, 30, died on December 15, 2016, while he was being held at the Central East Correctional Centre.
An earlier CityNews investigation revealed that over a dozen correctional officers and managers at the Lindsay super jail were suspended following his death, which sources said involved “use of force.”
But in a statement Monday, City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service said there are no grounds to file charges.
“The City of Kawartha Lakes Police Service has now completed the investigation into the death of Soleiman Faqiri. Following a thorough analysis of all the evidence and witness statements … we have concluded that no grounds exist to process criminal charges against anyone who was involved with Mr. Faqiri prior to his death on December 15th, 2016.”
The Office of the Chief Coroner and Ontario Forensic Pathology Services also took part in the investigation.
Soleiman’s family says the former star athlete and straight-A student suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. He was diagnosed 11 years ago, during his first year of studies at the University of Waterloo.
Faqiri was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, one count of assault and another count of uttering death threats on December 4th. His family says he was being held at Central East Correctional Centre (CECC) and was waiting for a bail hearing.
The deceased man’s family doesn’t know if he was taking medication while incarcerated.
The group JusticeforSoli issued a statement on Monday following the news that no charges would be laid in his death.
“The outcome of this police investigation raises many questions that the Faqiri family, Ontarians and all Canadians deserve answers to. We do not live in a police state. There is no circumstances where it’s okay for a man to go into custody alive and to come out in a body bag. Why has our system failed?”
“Today’s decision is outrageous and is an attempt to conceal the truth of Soleiman’s death and evade any accountability.”
