KUALA LUMPUR, April 26 — A medical officer who treated cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain told the High Court here today that he was not sure whether the victim was allergic to the medication he had prescribed.
Klinik As-Salam Bandar Baru Bangi medical practitioner Dr Azfar Hussin, 34, said he prescribed two types of antibiotics and injections to Zulfarhan Osman when he came to the clinic on May 27 and May 31, 2017.
“On May 27, Zulfarhan was given ‘Augmentin’ antibiotics and an injection containing ‘Voltaren Ampoule’ and ‘Maxolon’. On May 31, he was given the same injection and antibiotics of the type, Zinnat,” the witness said under cross examination by counsel Zamri Idrus on the fourth day of the trial of six students of UPNM.
The six, Muhammad Akmal Zuhairi Azmal, Muhammad Azamuddin Mad Sofi, Muhammad Najib Mohd Razi, Muhammad Afif Najmudin Azahat, Mohamad Shobirin Sabri and Abdoul Hakeem Mohd Ali who are all aged 22, are accused of murdering and conspiring to kill Zulfarhan Osman.
They allegedly committed the offences at 04-10, Jebat hostel block, UPNM, between 4.45am and 5.45am on May 22, 2017.
They are also accused jointly with 13 other students of physically abusing the alleged victim in order to force him to admit to the theft of a laptop.
The seventh witness testified that on June 1, 2017, a friend of Zulfarhan Osman’s contacted and told the clinic that the latter was vomiting and having diarrhoea.
When asked by Zamri whether the patient’s condition was due to medication allergy, Dr Azfar replied he was not sure.
Dr Azfar who owned the clinic said prior to prescribing the medications and injections, he had asked Zulfarhan Osman whether he was allergic to any medication but did not make any note of it in the patient’s medical report.
Footage of a closed-circuit television camera recording taken from the clinic was also screened at the proceeding today, which showed Zulfarhan Osman arriving at the clinic the first time, accompanied by four friends between noon and 1pm on May 27, 2017, that is, five days before the patient died on June 1, 2017.
The witness agreed with counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad that the CCTV showed Zulfarhan Osman in a conscious state, could walk by himself and had entered the treatment room without requiring assistance.
Dr Azfar also agreed that the victim was not in critical condition and could make his own decision including to seek further treatment in hospital.
He also agreed with Amer Hamzah’s proposal that he was not authorised as a medical officer to press any patient to receive treatment, what more if the patient was in stable condition and conscious, and that the patient’s reluctance to receive further treatment constituted self-negligence.
The trial before judge Datuk Azman Abdullah continues tomorrow. — Bernama
