Death in the Caribbean… or: Was he or wasn’t he? The Bob Woolmer death… redux/part2/II (WHATEVER!)

So… during the Cricket World Cup in Jamaica, on March 18th of this year, Bob Woolmer died in the evening after the team he coached – Pakistan – lost unexpectedly to Ireland. Earlier in the day back in Pakistan fans burnt effigies of the once-popular coach, and chanted slogans calling for him to be killed.

The initial cause of death was given as a ‘heart attack’. Amidst the farce that the Pakistan cricket team put on during the rest of the World Cup, the inquiry into his death continued… and lo & behold, it was declared MURDER!!! Drama ensued, with Detective Mark Shields thrust into the spotlight, and pretty much everyone in Jamaica at some stage was a suspect.

Accusations flew – poison, strangulation… stories ran rampant. The early favorites, the Pakistani team were eliminated first as competitors, and then as suspects… and fled home with their tails tucked between their legs flew home.

Enter Scotland Yard and Interpol. And enter a reversal of cause of death. Scotland Yard experts declared the death of Bob Woolmer due to natural causes.

Everyone breathes a sigh of relief…

BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE!!!

Thursday (June 14th), The Jamaica Observer reported that Dr Ere Seshaiah stated “I am sticking to my findings. He was murdered.”

Aaagh…

The National Security Minister Dr Peter Phillips has ordered a review into all aspects of the investigation. This review will assess “the appropriateness of the techniques and the standards of professionalism employed by the police investigators, as well as the medical and other professional personnel”.

Cricket on the sub-continent has always had it’s seedy underbelly… allegations of corruption & match-fixing have always found their way back to the ‘supposed’ gambling rings within India/Pakistan… involvement here was a speculation thrown around by many, many pundits in the days that followed.

One of the many amusing advertisements during the 2007 World Cup…

It will be interesting to hear what the end result is, but whether they declare it to be murder, or natural causes… there will be doubts from those that believe the other happened.

[sources: The Jamaica Observer; The Age]