Fiji deaths: Chch ‘healer’ held
A Christchurch man being questioned by Fiji police in relation to the deaths of five people allegedly acted as a healer for the family in the past, treating one person for abdominal pains.
The Press understands the man is 62-year-old Muhammad Raheesh Isoof, also known as Kamal, who lives in a flat in Linwood and works for Go Bus as a bus driver. He is a Fijian citizen.
A neighbour told The Press yesterday that Isoof and his partner, aged in her 40s, had returned to their ‘‘homeland’’ on holiday. Immigration New Zealand confirmed both individuals left New Zealand on August 8 on a flight to Nadi, Fiji.
Go Bus chief operating officer Nigel Piper declined to comment.
The bodies of five family members – Nirmal Kumar, 63, his wife Usha Devi, 54, their daughter Nileshni Kajal and her two daughters Sana, 11, and Samara, 8 – were found on Monday at the Nausori Highlands, Fiji.
Post-mortem examination results showed they died as result of ingesting a toxic substance. A crying one-year-old, Samaira Kumar, was found crawling by the roadside close to where the bodies were found.
Kumar’s brother, Raj Kumar, said yesterday police told the family the person being questioned was Muhammad Isoof. Isoof was a neighbour of the Kumar’s Legalega house before he moved to Christchurch.
Raj Kumar said his deceased brother, a carpenter, had helped Isoof’s family extend their home several times.
‘‘My brother used to look after their home and fix anything that needed to be fixed. We were very close, since 1972. We grew up together.’’
Raj Kumar was in India when he found out about the deaths. He returned to Fiji straight away.
‘‘How does this happen? We don’t know why they died. There are so many stories going around but noone that was there is alive to confirm anything, only a little baby.’’
A day before the fatal incident, the family reportedly celebrated the birthday of 1-year-old Samaira. Another family member said the toddler was the daughter of Sangeeta Devi, a surviving daughter of Nirmal Kumar. Samaira was ‘‘safe’’ with her mother, the family member said.
A close friend of the family told The Press Isoof was a healer who was highly sought after in the Legalega community for his ‘‘special’’ abilities.
Many communities in Fiji used healers to help with medical problems through the use of prayer,
‘‘How does this happen? We don’t know why they died. There are so many stories going around but no-one that was there is alive to confirm anything, only a little baby.’’ Raj Kumar
rituals and traditional or herbal medicine, he said.
Isoof was used at least three times by Narmil Kumar and his family to heal Usha Devi’s abdominal pains when he was in Fiji, the source said.
‘‘He prays for them and gives them some herbal medicine or something to drink. They’ve performed rituals together at the beach and elsewhere. This is not the first time they’ve been out together.’’
The family friend said Isoof was a good man and the whole Legalega community was in shock over what had happened. Isoof could ‘‘fix a problem’’ by praying for people from all walks of life who came to him for healing. ‘‘Headaches, sores on the leg, any type of pain – he had this special power to fix it by praying for people. And he knew about herbal medicine – sometimes he would give that too.’’
A funeral for the family is expected to take place today.
Police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro earlier told The Fiji Times that a man who was a person of interest had been interviewed and released. Police had also taken a woman in for questioning in relation to the deaths.
FBC News reported that on Thursday the Lautoka Court dismissed an application made by the state for police to hold a person of interest for longer than 48 hours in relation to their investigation into the deaths.
No charges have been laid. The application was made for the man – who FBC News reported was from New Zealand – to be held further as police needed more time to question him.
But the defence counsel objected and the court dismissed the application, FBC News reported.
In a statement to the The Fiji Times, Naisoro said more tests would be conducted by the Fiji Police Chemistry Scientific Lab in Nasova following the post mortem examination conducted on the five victims.
She said investigations into the deaths were continuing.