‘ADIB GOT OUT OF VAN ON HIS OWN’
Forensic specialist says he could make this assumption based on clinical examination and post-mortem
FORENSIC specialist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi has defended his theory that late fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim had alighted from the emergency medical rescue services (EMRS) vehicle on his own.
The Kuala Lumpur Hospital pathologist said despite there being no eyewitness as to whether Adib had alighted on his own or had been pulled out, he could make that assumption based on clinical examinations and a postmortem on the fireman.
“Based on clinical examinations and a post-mortem, the injuries inflicted on Adib did not
match with the theory that he was dragged out of the EMRS vehicle,” he said during the inquest held before coroner Rofiah Mohamad.
Dr Hafizam said, throughout the inquest, witnesses who had testified could not confirm that Adib was dragged out of the vehicle.
“I had also taken into account testimony by the EMRS driver. Hence, the conclusion is that Adib had got out of the vehicle on his own.”
Dr Hafizam was responding to counsel Syazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, who had asked how he came up with his conclusion.
Earlier, a tense atmosphere enveloped the court as Syazlin questioned the formula used by Dr Hafizam in determining the force of impact that resulted in Adib sustaining broken ribs.
He then suggested to the court that an expert in physics be called in.
Dr Hafizam later told the court that he believed that Adib did not wear his celoreng (camouflage) uniform in the Nov 27 incident.
He said the condition of the uniform did not match the injuries on the right side of Adib’s chest.
“The uniform was clean with no damage on it.”
He had said Adib’s injuries were likely caused by him getting out of the EMRS vehicle in a hurry and not because he had been dragged out.
However, the 29th witness, Professor Dr Shahrom Abdul Wahid, a retired pathologist from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital, had suggested that Adib was pulled out from the EMRS vehicle during a riot outside the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple in Subang Jaya.
He also suggested that Adib had been attacked by a mob, which led to seven broken ribs.
It was claimed that Adib, 24, died from severe injuries sustained after he was allegedly assaulted by rioters.
He was part of an emergency response team despatched to the scene to douse a vehicle that had been torched.
Despite showing signs of recovery while being treated at the National Heart Institute, Adib died on Dec 17.