Adib inquest: Forensic expert hits back at lawyer for ‘humiliating’ him in court

SHAH ALAM, May 17 — A forensic expert witness expressed his sorrow after being ‘humiliated’ in court when testifying in the inquest into the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim.

Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) forensic pathologist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi said his only intention was to assist the court in measuring the force of impact in relation to the injuries sustained by Muhammad Adib.

The 24th witness who was recalled to testify insisted several times that he is not a physicist and urged the court to refer to an expert in the field, for any confirmation regarding impact force determinations.

“I have always emphasised that I am not a physicist... I might have misunderstood (about the request to calculate the impact force). When asked by the lawyer, I thought I have explain it to the coroner.

“This is not a trial and I should not have been humiliated in court over the calculation,” he said at the 36th day of the proceedings at the Coroner’s Court here today.

Earlier, the witness had a heated argument with counsel Syazlin Mansor representing the Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia as well as the Housing and Local Government Ministry when Syazlin claimed his explanation on the force of impact calculation was confusing.

Syazlin: The calculation on the force of gravity you presented in court is wrong, let an expert talk about this. You do not have to confuse the court further.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam: I am not making it confusing for the court. Yesterday, I thought I was told to do the calculation, so I came up with a new calculation. I should not be humiliated over this calculation.

Syazlin: Earlier you said the calculation by Prof Shahrom was wrong, but when you showed a new calculation on gravitational force I see that it is incorrect. So, I am saying that you are wrong and confusing the court, I am not trying to embarrass you.

In reply to another question from Syazlin, Dr Ahmad Hafizam said the bruises found on Muhammad Adib’s abdomen were not due to impact pressure but was likely to have occurred when the victim was treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

“In this case, the victim died after 21 days of receiving treatment and within the course of the treatment there were certain movements such as being moved to the left or right, when he was unconscious. Based on the post-mortem, the bruises were not due to the victim being pulled,” he said.

The witness also disagreed with the theory that Muhammad Adib was pulled by the left elbow or by the shirt, based on several factors such as the Emergency Medical Rescue Services EMRS) van was moving in a dangerous situation, the victim was fit, clinical examinations and post mortem findings.

Muhammad Adib who was a member of the EMRS Unit of the Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Station, was seriously injured during the riot at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, USJ 25, Subang Jaya, on Nov 27 last year, before succumbing to his injuries on December 17 at the National Heart Institute.

The hearing before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad continues on May 27 and 28. — Bernama