Woolmer’s body released by coroner

KINGSTON – The body of murdered Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer has been ordered by a coroner to be released to his family in South Africa, the Daily Gleaner newspaper reported yesterday.

The body of the 58-year-old former England international has been in judicial limbo since March 18 when he was found dead in his Kingston hotel room the day after Pakistan had lost a World Cup game to Ireland. Detectives launched a murder investigation after an autopsy indicated that the former England Test player had been strangled, but they have yet to name any suspects and expect the case to be a long, drawn-out affair.The Kingston coroner in charge of the case meanwhile had ruled that the body could not be released until after an inquest had been completed.That inquest had been scheduled to open on Monday, but this was postponed by the Jamaican justice ministry following advice from the Coroner Patrick Murphy.No reason was given for the delay.The Gleaner said on its website that the police officer in charge of the murder investigation, Mark Shields, was called to Murphy’s office on Monday and he was informed that orders had been given for the body to be repatriated.Woolmer’s wife Gill and family are resident in Cape Town, South Africa and have been asking for his body to be sent home to them.Around 30 police investigators are working full-time on the Woolmer investigation with over 100 witness statements taken.Two Pakistan police are also working on the case, as are four officers from Scotland Yard in London.Woolmer’s death has led to a fevered round of speculation as to a motive.The most common theory is that his death was linked to match-fixing and illegal betting in cricket.Nampa-AFPDetectives launched a murder investigation after an autopsy indicated that the former England Test player had been strangled, but they have yet to name any suspects and expect the case to be a long, drawn-out affair.The Kingston coroner in charge of the case meanwhile had ruled that the body could not be released until after an inquest had been completed.That inquest had been scheduled to open on Monday, but this was postponed by the Jamaican justice ministry following advice from the Coroner Patrick Murphy.No reason was given for the delay.The Gleaner said on its website that the police officer in charge of the murder investigation, Mark Shields, was called to Murphy’s office on Monday and he was informed that orders had been given for the body to be repatriated.Woolmer’s wife Gill and family are resident in Cape Town, South Africa and have been asking for his body to be sent home to them.Around 30 police investigators are working full-time on the Woolmer investigation with over 100 witness statements taken.Two Pakistan police are also working on the case, as are four officers from Scotland Yard in London.Woolmer’s death has led to a fevered round of speculation as to a motive.The most common theory is that his death was linked to match-fixing and illegal betting in cricket.Nampa-AFP