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The coroner’s inquest into the death of former Pakistan coach bob Woolmer would get underway in Kingston on April 23, Jamaican officials announced on Thursday.

According to a spokesman of the coroner’s office, the inquest may last for a month and would involve statements from several witnesses.

Coroner Patrick Murphy would supervise the inquest which was ordered by Jamaican Police chief Lucius Thomas last month.

Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in his hotel room in Kingston by a chambermaid on March 18, a day after his Pakistan team lost to underdogs Ireland and crashed out of the World Cup.

A few days later, the Jamaican Police announced they had launched a full-scale murder investigation after an autopsy report suggested that the Englishman was strangled. The coroner’s office has already summoned 22 people for the inquest which will take place at the Jamaica Conference Centre and not at the coroner’s office because it was deemed inadequate to deal with such a high-profile case.

Local lawyers have fired the coroner’s office for speeding up the Woolmer inquest saying that there is already a huge backlog of older cases.

Two senior Pakistani investigators would watch the proceedings in Kingston on behalf of the Pakistani government.

“They are acting as observers and liaison officers between the local and Pakistan police,” Karl Angell, director of communications for the Jamaica Constabulary Force, said on Wednesday.

Zubair Mahmood, a deputy inspector general of police (investigations), and Syed Kaleem Imam, a senior superintendent of police, were sent by the Pakistani government to assist the murder probe. They are among seven foreign experts who would be working on the case.

Last week four senior officers from Scotland Yard, plus a forensic expert from Interpol, were invited to the island at the request of Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas to assist with the investigations.

Meanwhile, speculations continue to galore in the Caribbean over the Woolmer murder case. Most people interviewed by this correspondent are convinced that the Jamaican Police have been tight-lipped on any progress made in the case because they are waiting for the World Cup to be over.

The ICC World Cup — the biggest sporting event ever held in the Caribbean — would end with the April 28 finale here in Barbados.

Most people believe Woolmer fell victim to a betting ring after his team were shocked by Ireland. The general opinion here is that the Police would be making startling revelations soon after the end of the World Cup.
Source:The News