BEIJING prosecutors yesterday launched an official investigation into five Beijing policemen over the suspicious death of a man in police custody, which sparked national debate amid accusations of police brutality, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

    The five police officials are from Dongxiaokou Police Station in Changping District, the Beijing People’s Procuratorate said yesterday, without revealing their names.

    State Councilor and Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun stressed in a meeting Tuesday that there would be no cover-up of police misconduct and those found guilty will be punished as per law.

    According to prosecutors, a preliminary probe uncovered evidence, which merits further investigation relating to the death of 29-year-old Lei Yang, almost a month after his death May 7.

    Lei was detained May 7 outside a massage parlor as part of a crackdown on prostitution. His relatives say Lei was on his way to the airport to pick up relatives when he was stopped by the officers.

    A day later, police released a short statement online saying Lei had been detained for visiting prostitutes but died suddenly on the way to the police station. Lei’s family has publicly questioned that account.

    On May 19, Lei’s wife, surnamed Wu, approached the Beijing prosecutors for a probe into the police officials who conducted the raid. She accused them of abusing power, helping forge evidence and causing intentional injury.

    The case has been covered extensively in State-run newspapers and prompted a huge outpouring on social media in China.

    According to media reports, Lei, 29, had graduated with a degree in environmental science from Beijing’s prestigious Renmin University of China and had a daughter a few weeks old.

    (SD-Agencies)