KINGSTON, 25 April 2007 — A coroner has ordered that the body of murdered Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer be released to his family in South Africa, Jamaican government authorities said.
Coroner Patrick Murphy called in the police officer in charge of the murder investigation, Mark Shields, and formally “gave instructions for the process of repatriating the body to commence,” the ministry of national security said in a statement on Monday.
Shields had spoken to Woolmer’s widow and informed her of the latest developments, the statement said.
Officials did not say when the body would be taken to South Africa but Shields was working with the funeral home to have the body repatriated “as soon as possible,” the statement said.
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. 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.
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. No reason was given for the delay.
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.
Pakistan Advertise for Coach to Fill Woolmer Place
In Karachi, Pakistan cricket authorities have advertised the post of national cricket coach following the death of Bob Woolmer during the World Cup.
The advertisement posted on the Pakistan Cricket Board website has called for interested candidates to submit their applications by May 15. “We have set certain standards to apply for the post. Anyone meeting our criteria, including foreigners, are welcome to apply,” Zakir Khan, director, cricket operations of the board told Reuters yesterday.
Woolmer, who served as Pakistan coach from 2004, was pronounced dead in a hospital in Kingston, Jamaica on March 18 one day after Pakistan lost to Ireland and were eliminated from the World Cup.
Police investigators are treating his death as murder.
Zakir said Pakistan had initiated discussions with some coaches but than decided to advertise the post to have a bigger field to choose from.
The Pakistan board said in the advertisement that the appointment of the coach would be initially for two years.
“We are keeping an open mind. We will complete our selection process by June,” Zakir said.
This is the first time the board has advertised the post of a national team coach and Zakir said the advertisement had also been forwarded to the International Cricket Council and test-playing nations’ websites.
The seven-week World Cup culminates in the final on Saturday.
