SHAH ALAM: The Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) had used the wrong methodology when conducting experiments to determine the cause of death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, a United Kingdom-based senior forensic and pathology expert told the Coroner’s Court here today.
Prof Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid, the 29th witness, said the experiments conducted by HKL forensics specialist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi failed to determine the object(s) that caused Muhammad Ajib’s injuries.
“The person who ran these experiments is inexperienced because the wrong methodology was used.
“We can’t take things lightly when we are conducting these experiments… he must know the concept and in this case, must know which was the object that had the most contact with the deceased (and caused the victim’s chest injuries),” he testified in the inquest which entered its 38th day here today.
Dr Shahrom was also of the opinion that a report on Muhammad Adib’s cause of death submitted by Dr Ahmad Hafizam was incomplete.
Dr Shahrom said the incident involving the late fireman was a complicated case, and the report on the experiments conducted should have been of excellent standards.
“If (reports) on a complicated case like this is incomplete, a complete investigation must be done… to me, the report was satisfactory but not excellent,” he said.
In his testimony today, Dr Shahrom, who is also the former senior forensic and pathology expert at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz said he has visited the scene of the incident to obtain a clearer picture of what happened.
He went down (to the ground) after finding inconsistencies in the inquest’s testimonies and reports.
“I noticed that the reports and testimonies kept changing.
“For instance, one testimony stated how the deceased fell on the road shoulder here (the first location where he was believed to have fell and injured himself), and then suddenly there is testimony that he fell on another road shoulder.
“I was fortunate enough to conduct experiments in both spots. I reject 100 per cent (the conclusion) that the road shoulder was the cause (of his injuries) … it does not make sense,” he testified.
Dr Sharom said he was confident Muhammad Adib’s chest injuries were from a kick to the emergency medical rescue services (EMRS) van door.
“I observed that each vehicle was of the same height level, and (looked for) objects that were compatible with the injuries. Only the object on the EMRS van door seemed relevant to the injuries sustained by Muhammad Adib.
“I am 80 to 90 per cent confident that his chest injuries were caused by a kick to the EMRS van door,” he said.
Muhammad Adib who was a Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue EMRS personnel sustained serious injuries in a riot at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple site at USJ 25, Subang Jaya on Nov 27, 2018 and died on Dec 17 at the National Heart Institute. – Bernama
