Man committed suicide

POLICE have ruled the death of Selwyn Wickham, who was found hanging from a jersey in a prisoners’ cell at the San Fernando Police Station, as a suicide.

This after foul play was ruled out following an autopsy at the Forensic Sciences Centre yesterday by Pathologist Dr Eastlyn McDonald Burris. The autopsy findings showed that Wickham died as a result of asphyxia consistent with hanging. Police sources said the next course of action in the investigations, would be to have a Coroner’s Inquest at the magistrates court to determine the circumstances surrounding Wickham’s death, before the case is officially closed. However, the source pointed, the Coroner could, based on the findings of the Inquest, send the case file back to the DPP for further investigations.

Wickham, 52, of Farah Street, San Fernando, is believed to have hanged himself after being questioned by police in connection with a sexual offence. The man is believed to have used his t-shirt to hang himself from the bars of the prisoners’ cell, around 5 am on Sunday.
Wickham, a “PH” driver, accompanied police to the station on Friday night, after officers went to his house to inform him that they wanted to speak to him. His wife Jennifer was not home yesterday, but when contacted via telephone she complained about the “gossip and rumours” being circulated in the media about her husband. Jennifer said she was at the Forensic Sciences Centre and did not have any time to speak with Newsday. Head of Southern Division — Snr Supt Desmond Lambert — is spearheading investigations.