Woman illegally buried at rural property had refused medical treatment for mouth cancer

A Malaysian woman buried at home by her partner had perished after a battle with oral cancer, as it’s revealed she had avoided treatment for fear of deportation. Inside the bizarre case >>

Olaf Vennik leaving the Hobart Magistrates Court after being sentenced for failing an obligation to report a death and unlawfully disposing of human remains. Picture: Kenji Sato.

The tragic death details of a Malaysian woman whose Tasmanian partner illegally buried her at home have been revealed by a coroner.

On Thursday, Coroner Robert Webster handed down his findings into the death of 65-year-old Soo Lan Chuah – who had refused to seek medical treatment for her mouth cancer for fear of deportation.

He said at the time of her death in August 2020, Ms Chuah was living in a caravan and outbuilding at the small East Coast community of Cranbrook with her partner Olaf Vennik.

In the lead-up to her death, Ms Chuah had only accepted alternative and herbal treatments for her condition.

Mr Webster said the couple had met on an online chat site about 2016, before emailing and commencing a romantic relationship.

Mr Vennik travelled to Penang and the pair travelled through Asia together before returning to Tasmania to live on Mr Vennik’s sister’s property and on his single pension.

When Ms Chuah’s visa expired, she did not renew it.

An existing growth on her tongue began to grow, inhibiting her ability to talk or eat solid food.

Mr Vennik took her to the dentist to have a tooth removed, with the dentist querying the growth, but Ms Chuah did not want to talk about it.

“Both she and Mr Vennik assumed the growth was cancer but she would only use alternative medicines as treatment,” Mr Webster said.

“She received massages, used a sauna and bathed in magnesium salt flakes. In addition she used oils, oral rinses and pulse therapy.”

Mr Vennik says he encouraged Ms Chuah to see a doctor, but she refused, saying she would die anyway.

She was also concerned that because her visa had expired, she would be deported if she sought regular medical treatment.

After her death, Mr Webster said Mr Vennik buried Ms Chau on his sister’s property “in order to avoid detection”.

“There was general concern that if Ms Chuah’s death was reported, they may face charges in relation to harbouring an illegal immigrant.”

The Mercury previously reported that according to court documents, Mr Vennik was accused of putting his partner’s body onto a modified wheelbarrow, placing her in a shallow unmarked hole and covering her over with sand.

Mr Webster said in November 2020, a neighbour contacted police with concern about the welfare of Ms Chuah, who had not been seen for some time.

Ms Chuah’s body was exhumed, and she was identified with dental records and DNA.

Mr Vennik was initially charged with neglecting duty as to burial, interfering with human remains, unlawfully disposing of human remains and failing his obligation to report a death.

However, the first two charges were dropped and Mr Vennik ultimately pleaded guilty to the latter two summary charges, and fined.

The dentist who treated Ms Chuah said she had the most severe advanced case of squamous cell carcinoma he’d ever seen, which he said had been terminal and essentially inoperable.

Mr Webster said Ms Chuah’s cause of death remained undetermined, but that she most likely died from cancer or ischaemic heart disease.

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Originally published as Woman illegally buried at rural property had refused medical treatment for mouth cancer