SHAH ALAM, Feb 12 — Describing a situation of extreme duress, an emergency driver testified in court today that he was unaware of what had happened to fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, the night he was allegedly attacked near the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in Subang Jaya.
Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van driver Ahmad Shahril Othman who was testifying at Adib’s inquest, said when the Fire Rescue Tender (FRT) had collided with his van and subsequently push the vehicle sideways, he could not recount what happened to Adib, who was sitting next to him.
The collision happened after both fire and rescue vehicles were attacked by a mob of more than 50 people, said Shahril.
“At the time I was not paying attention to him. I was focusing on the right side of the vehicle.
“This is because the windscreen was being bashed and someone was trying to open the door. I was holding the door while my back was facing him (Adib),” he said.
In court today, Shahril used toy cars to demonstrate how the FRT had reversed into the EMRS van and subsequently push it sideways.
Shahril explained that once the EMRS van was facing the other way, he sped off, but was unaware of whether Adib was still in the vehicle or not.
It was only when the EMRS van and the FRT reached IPD Subang Jaya that the team notice Adib was missing, said Shahril.
“When I arrived at the police station, I was shocked to see Hazim jump out of the van. When I asked him where Adib was, he said he does not know, “ he said, referring to fireman Mohd Hazim Mohd Rahimi, 31, who stepped out of the fire engine to put out a burning car.
Mohd Hazim was part of a seven-man FRT team, along with EMRS officers Shahril and Mohd Adib, who responded to a distress call on a burning car near the temple on November 27, last year.
Shahril added that he assumed Adib had escaped the scene in the FRT.
“I assume Adib maybe had jumped in the FRT instead. Soon after the FRT arrived at IPD Subang Jaya, our supervising officer did a roll call. It was then we all notice that Adib was missing,” he said.
When the team tried to contact Adib through his phone, a civilian answered the call, stating that he is transporting the injured fireman to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre.
When asked further by Coroner Rofiah Mohamad whether he had heard Adib shouting or calling out to his teammates during the attack, Shahril answered that the situation outside of the vehicle was too chaotic for him to be certain.
The inquest continues at the Shah Alam High Court tomorrow.
