Adib inquest: Fireman remembered how he was injured, says witness

SHAH ALAM: A witness in the inquest into the death of Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim said that the fireman remembered how he was injured during the riots at Seafield Sri Mariamman Temple last year.

Surgical assistant Muhammad Ashraf Baruji (pic) told the coroner's court that Muhammad Adib indicated to him how he was injured during a conversation between the two at the end of a physiotherapy session at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

Muhammad Ashraf is the 16th witness called to the inquest on Tuesday (Feb 26).

The surgical assistant said that he was around Muhammad Adib for lengthy amounts of time while the fireman was in the hospital's intensive care unit (ICU).

This, said Muhammad Ashraf, was because apart from being in the medical team caring for the fireman, he also volunteered to take care of Muhammad Adib when he did not have any tasks at the hospital.

Muhammad Ashraf said this when DPP Hamdan Hamzah, who is leading the three-member team from the Attorney General's Chambers, asked whether the fireman remembered how he was injured.

Hamdan: While you were taking care of Muhammad Adib, did you ask him about his injuries?

Muhammad Ashraf: Yes.

Hamdan: Can you tell the court?

Muhammad Ashraf: It was at night, we just finished his physiotherapy session and I was prepping him for sleep. I asked him, "do you remember what happened?", and at first, he shook his head. So I said to him, that is okay, when you are ready to tell me just do it. Then I wanted to leave but felt Muhammad Adib pull the sleeve of my shirt.

He nodded. I asked him, "were you pulled?" He used his left hand to make a pulling signal on his shoulder. I asked him, "did you fall?" He shook his head and used his hand to make a gesture, saying no. I then asked him, "do you remember being beaten up?"

He nodded. I followed up by asking him whether he knew where he was. He gestured to show that he was in the hospital by pointing to his bed. He then started to move his legs and arms, so I said, it's okay, you rest now and I left the room.

Muhammad Ashraf however said that he did not tell other people of the communication as he felt that the information was confidential between Muhammad Adib and him.

He said that he only told IJN cardiothoracic senior consultant Datuk Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib about the exchange a few days after the fireman died.

Muhammad Ashraf told the inquest that Muhammad Adib was communicating with the medical team and those visiting him using hand or body signals and a whiteboard.

He added that Muhammad Adib was able to watch a football match while he was in ICU.

Judge Rofiah Mohamad sits as coroner for the inquest being held at the Shah Alam Sessions Court. The inquest will continue on Wednesday (Feb 27).

Muhammad Adib, 24, was critically injured when he and his team members from the Subang Jaya fire station responded to an emergency at the Seafield Sri Mariamman Temple in the early morning of Nov 27 last year.