‘2 deaths if victim was dragged out’

SHAH ALAM: The Coroner’s Court was told yesterday that there could have been two deaths if the late Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim had really been dragged out of the Fire and Rescue Department’s Emergency Medical Rescue Seralvices (EMRS) vehicle he was in.

Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) forensics specialist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi, who is the 24th witness, said the “assaulter” who legedly dragged Adib out by force could face a similar fate as the fireman, as both of them were within the danger zone by virtue of being at the left side of the EMRS vehicle.

“Both Adib and his assaulter were exposed to danger that could lead to death.

“However, the investigating officer of the case informed that at the time of the incident, no one else was injured. “If we were to follow what had been suggested earlier, the assaulter who dragged Adib out might not have been able to get out from the danger zone and there would have been two post-mortems,” said Dr Hafizam, who was being recalled to testify in the inquest. Previously, 29th witness Professor Dr Shahrom Abdul Wahid, a retired pathologist from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, had suggested that Adib was pulled out from the EMRS vehicle during a riot outside the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya on Nov 27 last year.

He also suggested that Adib had been attacked by a mob, which led to him to suffer seven broken ribs.

Dr Hafizam said based on Dr Shahrom’s theory, Adib would have suffered more serious injuries between his upper chest and waist. He added that the theory, however, did not match the injuries sustained by Adib.

“The theory produced by Professor Shahrom was only based on certain injuries found on Adib. It did not explain how the incident happened so quickly and how Adib had sustained the injuries.”

Dr Hafizam firmly defended his stand that Adib was not dragged out of the EMRS vehicle.

“It is most likely that Adib had sustained injuries while getting out of the EMRS vehicle in a hurry,” he said.

Dr Hafizam also opined that the test by Shahrom using a rubber mannequin was misleading.

“Only structures that were visible to the eyes were taken into account. The left side of the EMRS vehicle front door was not painted up into the inside panel.

“Therefore, no visible marks could be seen on the rubber mannequin. Hence, the test was not genuine,” he said.