Mr Tennakoon said he, his brother and a Syrian man, who had also tried to commit suicide with a razor, were put into confinement later that night. Over six days, he said, they were fed one meal and half a cup of water a day. Mr Tennakoon said he had warned staff that Mr Tanginoa might jump from the pole, which he had climbed to evade authorities and so delay his deportation to Tonga. I said please don't pressure him like that. There was a blood pool, from the nose and ears the blood is pumping.
Nobody can forget that.
I rubbed his hand. They called me to come and help him and feeling his pulse, and I spoke to him very nicely. He passed away in my hands. Mr Tennakoon's friend Margaret Pridham said detainees had not been offered professional counselling since Mr Tanginoa's death. Mr Tennakoon came to Australia on a student visa which was later revoked.