In a statement posted on Facebook today, on the death of Mohamad Thaqif Amin Mohd Gaddafi, 11, the religious school Madrasah Tahfiz Al-Jauhar in Kota Tinggi, Johor  said the suspect was granted parole and released from prison early due to his good behaviour.

“He admitted his past after he was accepted for work. And this made us understand that he was sincere in changing his life,” said the school management in the Facebook posting today.

“If the prison director had said he was changing and was released early, can’t we, as members of the public, give him a second chance?”

The management also wrote that the statement was released after almost two weeks of facing criticisms and accusations over Thaqif’s death.

Thaqif died last Wednesday, a week after he was admitted to Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru, due to leg injuries and health complications, causing both the legs to be amputated below the knee, allegedly due to beatings he suffered at the school.

In the posting, the tahfiz school management said the assistant warden was seen to be doing a good job.

“We dare to say his commitment was beyond the ustaz at the school and was turning into a better person.

“This statement is in no way to defend him when he decided to take action using a rubber hose,” the management wrote.

It added: “But believe me, it’s not like you describe. We have evidence of the incident in a closed-circuit camera that has been handed over to the police.”

The school also clarified that it was not registered under the education ministry as it was not required to do so. However, the school said it was willing to do so.

The suspect is now under remand until May 3 to facilitate police investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code.