Witnessing a forensic post-mortem first-hand

The autopsy suite at UMMC: once the forensic entomology team (left) has collected their specimen, the forensic pathology team (right) takes over for the inspection and dissection. — Photos: AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star

“I have a case tomorrow morning, but it’s a partially decomposed body, can you make it?”

Forensic pathologist Dr Shatishraj Jothee sent me this late night text a fortnight ago (mid-January 2026), in response to my request to see how a post-mortem is carried out.