Although Jamaican police are refusing to comment, it is now being widely reported that they are set to make what will be an embarrassing climbdown later this week and admit that Bob Woolmer was not murdered but died of natural causes.
A review of the case by Scotland Yard, using a Home Office pathologist, is believed to have concluded that Woolmer died from heart failure and chronic ill health. The broken bone in his neck, which was key to suggestions that he had been strangled, is now understood to have been caused by his subsequent heavy fall.
Woolmer’s widow, Gill, and their family are understood to have cautiously welcomed the news. Neil Manthorp, a South African cricket journalist and a friend of the family, told The Sunday Telegraph: “There will definitely be a great sense of relief if this is confirmed. I hope for Bob’s sake and that of his family that his death was quick and painless.”
An editorial in Jamaica’s Gleaner newspaper said the u-turn might not be the end of the matter. “The twists and turns in the Bob Woolmer case will, we suspect, continue until all the rumours, speculation and half-blown theories regarding the cause of his death have been finally laid to rest by concrete forensic and other evidence.”
It went on to say that pressure was now growing on Dr Ere Seshaiah, the pathologist employed to the Jamaican government, and Mark Shields, the high-profile deputy commissioner of the Jamaican police force. Seshaiah produced the autopsy which suggested that Woolmer had been murdered. Subsequent reports said that toxicology tests were said to have revealed that Woolmer had been poisoned.
Shields travelled to Cape Town last month where it is reported he warned Gill Woolmer that it had become “uncertain” how her husband had died and that there could have been a “misinterpretation” of the post-mortem examination results.
SOURCE: http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/woolmer/content/current/story/296763.html
For the sake of Woolmer's family I am happy that it turned out not be a murder. Natural death, untimely and unexpected it may be, is always easier to bear, or so I assume, compared to murder. For the sake of Pakistan's image around the world I am happy, as murder of our coach right in the middle of a high-profile tournament only highlighted that ours is a country fraught with unknown dangers, death and murder. However, the damage is done. In the days following Woolmer's death, his so-called "murder" was on the front page of all US newspapers (as well as other international newspapers etc, I assume). Stereotypes are already reinforced. Very few, if any, news media will now report this "climb down" as prominently.
In any case, as soon as varied theories started coming around about who/why Woolmer was murdered, I had always been skeptical. From betting angle to a disgruntled fan, it made no sense to kill Woolmer. Depression due to shock defeat against Irish, combined with over all poor health was the most likely cause. Jamaican police has made a complete arse of themselves. They will likely hide behind "we were duty-bound to investigate all theories" line but I still recall how Mark Shields kept on saying "I am 100% sure this is murder" when there was reasonable doubt that it was not. I thought it was the same Indian pathologist who originally came up with "inconclusive" autopsy result, who was later told about the suspicion of murder and so he came up with strangulation theory. Over all, it was very incompetent work by the pathologist as well as detectives.
I doubt we have heard the last of it. I am sure most Pakistanis, Pakistan players and PCB are all very relieved with this news.
What a mess this jamaican police created. And I always thoughts its our pakistani police who is incompetent. They have made pakistani police look like experts...
They have made this whole episode span like a movie, a big flop movie but only the death was real, death of a good humble man.
so now this wasnt a murder and rather was a natural death, I wonder what happens to the mahesh bhatt's bollywood movie.. is he still going to go through with it with his own fictitious story.. i wonder..
Inzamam and team Pakistan deserves an apology from Mark Sheilds, ICC, media and PCB. BTW, was it not PCB and their current and former employees who talked about match-fixings and "Islamofication" reasons for Woolmer's death?
Someone here on South African radio said that Mark Sheilds was formerly of Scotland Yard, but turned out to be a bit of a "muppet" and Scotland Yard was "glad to get rid of him".
That SOB is sleeping with Altaf Hussain providing proof against Imran Khan to get some more publicity and may even join MQM. If anyone deserves Sar-e- Aam Chitrol, that's Sarphiraz Nawaz.
Inzi and co deserve some aplogy for sure, the whole world held our players responsible but we prevailed once again (First being OVAL VICTORY). :)
^ so what do you want? ISI should be there to solve this murder case?
Had ISI conducted the test you would've gone against their report anyway :p .... the point is that all these tests were conducted by below par trained 'specialists' so to believe any of their reports is not going to lead you anywhere.
I thought it was the same Indian pathologist who originally came up with "inconclusive" autopsy result, who was later told about the suspicion of murder and so he came up with strangulation theory.
Yes and an** Indian Batsman** - Ramnaresh Sarwan was recently appointed West Indies Captain. He got injured, and he was replaced by another Indian Batsman Daren Ganga as Captain.
Rohan Kanhai, Alvin Kalicharan, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul, Rajinder Dhanraj to name only a few - are other notable Indians to have played for West Indies*.*
Faisal, such a stupid comment was not expected from you.
When the ancestors of these "Indians" landed in the Carribeans centuries ago to work as slaves on the Sugar plantations - there was no Pakistan for crying out loud. But then again that "Indian Pathologist" could very well be a RAW agent - who wanted to secretly discredit the "clean as a whistle" Pakistan Cricket team.
Don't get too defensive or touchy. He could be a Pakistani pathologist for all I care. My point was that the same guy had an inconclusive autopsy earlier. Unlike some other folks here, the country of origin of the pathologist does not interest me at all. Indians (or for that matter Pakistanis) have no monopoly over incompetence, bias or unwarranted sensationalism.
^All that I am saying is that he is NOT INDIAN. PERIOD.
This has nothing to do with competency/incompetency.
Some chappy just went by his name and called him an Indian and you guys just piled on.
If he is not even Indian then why are you getting so sensitive? Thand karo...
By the way, how do you know his ethnic origins (or lack thereof), anyway?
The fact that you guys erroneously keep parroting "Indian Pathologist" implies that you are no better than the Indian media in sensationlizing news by making bad assumptions.
And I know for a fact that the said pathologist (Dr Ere Seshaiah) is of Indian Origin but he is Kingston based.
All thanks to the incompetent Indian doctor who conducted the autopsy, lead to this idiotic conclusion that he was murdered...Indians need to improve their education standards...its not always bollywood in real life...Indians will never be able to compete with China, let alone rest of the world...cause everything they do is either third rate or copy and paste...
The fact that you guys erroneously keep parroting "Indian Pathologist" implies that you are no better than the Indian media in sensationlizing news by making bad assumptions.
And I know for a fact that the said pathologist (Dr Ere Seshaiah) is of Indian Origin but he is Kingston based.
Yeah that dumba$$ came to Jamaica only eight years ago...well ingrained and indoctrinated Indian he is...Probably still an Indian citizen...so lets leave this euphemism of Indian "origin" at the door homes...
Koi baat nahi Some1... hota hai. As they say, "you can take an Indian out of India, but you can not take India out of an Indian". You will always remain Indian. 'Tis Karma! :)