In August 2022, a man named Abdul Rahman Majid passed away from coronary artery disease in his Geylang Bahru flat in Singapore.
However, an astonishing revelation emerged during the coroner’s inquiry – the police could not match his fingerprints with anyone in Singapore’s national database, according to a report by The Straits Times.
Even more perplexing was the fact that the real Abdul Rahman Majid was alive and residing in a welfare home.
The Shocking Discovery
When Abdul Rahman Majid’s sons were informed that their father’s name did not match any records, they were taken aback. The State Courts’ computer system listed the deceased as “unknown,” leaving investigators puzzled as to who this man really was and how old was he.
The police initially identified the deceased as Mr. Abdul Rahman Majid, based on the name stated in his youngest son’s birth certificate.
However, as they searched for identification documents, no passport or NRIC was found in the flat. The only evidence linking him to the name was an old construction site pass and a UOB Plaza pass.
To ascertain the deceased’s identity, investigators checked his fingerprints against databases in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Surprisingly, none of the fingerprints matched, deepening the mystery surrounding the man’s true identity.
Real Abdul Rahman was still alive
As investigations progressed, it was discovered that the real Abdul Rahman Majid had been living in a welfare home since 1994, battling chronic schizophrenia. When shown a photo of the deceased, the 69-year-old Abdul Rahman Majid did not recognize him.
When the deceased’s fourth son and wife appeared in court, they were shown a photo of the real Abdul Rahman Majid, and both confirmed that they had never seen him before.
While the deceased shared a name with the real Abdul Rahman Majid, their medical histories diverged. The deceased had no clear medical reports, even though an Abdul Rahman Majid had received treatment at the Institute of Mental Health and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Blood tests confirmed that the deceased was indeed the biological father of his four sons, including the eldest son, who was given away at birth.
A cleaner who had known the deceased for over 20 years recalled him being addressed as “Kassim” with another man who had visited the family before confirming that he also called him “Kassim.”
The investigation faced hurdles when trying to communicate with the deceased’s schizophrenic wife, who could only respond to questions by nodding or shaking her head.
State Coroner Nakhoda ordered further investigations, instructing the officer to contact relatives of the deceased’s wife for more information. Additionally, she was to check with the Housing Board for registered tenants in the rental flats where the family lived.