Adib inquest: Forensics expert disagrees with retired pathologist's theory

Adib Mohd Kassim

SHAH ALAM: A forensics expert disagreed with a retired pathologist's theory that fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim was forcefully pulled out of the van he was in.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi said that if Muhammad Adib was indeed pulled out from the Fire and Rescue Department's Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van, the individual who pulled him out would have been injured as the van was moving backwards.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam, who was testifying at the inquest into the fireman's death on Tuesday (May 14), said this to counter a theory presented by retired pathologist Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid that the 24-year-old was forcefully pulled out of the van and assaulted by several people.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam conducted Muhammad Adib's autopsy and stated in his report that the injuries sustained were inconsistent with an assault.

He was the 24th witness to the inquest into the fireman's death, but was recalled to the coroner's court to explain the differences between his report and Dr Shahrom's theory.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam said that the areas at the side of the van's front passenger seat and driver's seat were considered "danger zones" seeing that the van was being pushed backwards by the fire truck during the incident in the early morning of Nov 27 last year.

"In my opinion, in this situation, the (front passenger door) side of the EMRS van was a danger zone.

"This goes for the (driver's) side on the right as well, seeing that the fire truck's large size.

"So if the door of the passenger side was open, it can be a dangerous object and it can hit anyone who was within the danger zone," he told the coroner's court on Tuesday (May 14).

"So if someone was pulling him (Muhammad Adib) from behind, the door can hit the person pulling him as well," he added.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam added that the investigating officer for Muhammad Adib's case told him that there were no reports of anyone getting injured by the van when it was reversing at that time.

Dr Ahmad Hafizam said that Dr Shahrom's theory – that several individuals were kicking on the door of the EMRS van – was flawed as the vehicle was reversing at the time of the incident.

"The person, who was kicking the door several times, needs to move consistently with the speed of the EMRS van as it was reversing. So if there were several people, they will be affected as well," he said.

Dr Shahrom – who was not present during the autopsy – was called in as an additional expert witness by lawyer Syazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, Fire and Rescue Department and Muhammad Adib's family at the inquest.

Judge Rofiah Mohamad sits as coroner for the inquest, held at the Shah Alam Sessions Court.

Muhammad Adib became critically injured in the early morning of Nov 27 last year after he and his team members from the Subang Jaya fire station responded to an emergency call at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple where a riot was taking place.

The fireman was taken to SJMC after he was found injured, before being transferred to the National Heart Institute (IJN) for further treatment where he later died on Dec 17 at 9.41pm.

The inquest continues on Wednesday (May 15).