Cadet death inquest: Witness told off for filing misleading police report

IPOH: A witness called to give evidence in the inquest into a Royal Malaysian Navy cadet officer's death was reprimanded by the coroner for choosing incorrect words when lodging a police report.

Ipoh Sessions Court judge Azman Abu Hassan, sitting as coroner, told Lumut Armed Forces Hospital's medical assistant Mohd Fazil Mansor that if he was not the person who received the cadet when he first came to the hospital and handled his body after his death, then these should not be stated in his police report.

"Make sure your report states exactly what happened, who received the body and so forth.

"Next time if ever you need to lodge a report, make sure it is done properly and correctly," he said.

Mohd Fazil was testifying in the inquest into the death of J. Soosaimanicckam who died while undergoing training as a cadet officer at the navy base on May 19 last year.

He was pronounced dead at 1.45pm on May 19 at the hospital.

Prior to that, he complained of chest pain and shortness of breath after completing a physical exercise that was part of his daily routine training.

Soosaimanicckam had reported for duty on May 12, a week before his death.

Earlier, Fazil was asked by counsel Mahajoth Singh, representing the deceased's family, why, if he did not receive the body, that he stated he did in the police report.

Joseph (right) and Charles (left) holding his brother's mugshot at the inquest trial of a navy cadet death at Lumut Naval Base.

The witness then explained that a friend brought Soosaimanicckam to the hospital, and two of the hospital's staff members placed him on a stretcher and wheeled him into the emergency ward.

He said the medical officer Major Dr Harvind Singh, who treated Soosaimanicckam, later pronounced him dead. The body was brought out of the emergency ward to another room by the hospital's staff.

Mahajoth then asked if he (Fazil) was present when the doctor performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), because that was stated in the police report, to which he replied no.

"After the death of the cadet, Dr Harvind had called the Manjung Police District headquarters informing them on the case, and the need for a post-mortem to be carried out on the request of the family.

"The police informed him that a representative was required to come to the station to lodge a report first, and I was asked to go on behalf of the hospital," he added.

On another question by the lawyer, Fazil said he saw the body, described the clothes worn by the deceased but was not sure and could not remember if he saw any blood on the deceased or on the bed.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Qistini Qamarul Abrar prosecuted.

Soosaimanicckam's father S. Joseph, 65, and his brother J. Charles, 33, from Port Klang were also present during the inquest.

The inquest was first heard on Sept 24, where Manjung Hospital's medical officer Dr S. Saravanan, who performed the post-mortem, testified.

Dr Saravanan's testimony was supposed to continue on Wednesday (Nov 27), but he was on medical leave, and is expected to testify on Thursday (Nov 28)