Forensic expert tells court more than one person involved in Adib attack.
It is possible that Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim was forcibly pulled out from the Fire and Rescue Department van he was in, says a forensic expert.
The fireman’s injuries could have been caused by people kicking at the door of the Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) van, as he was wedged between the door and the van, said Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid.
He did not examine Adib’s body but reached this conclusion after studying videos, pictures of injuries as well as going through witness statements.
He added that he was able to access all the materials related to Adib’s case that were presented at the coroner’s court, including photographs from the fireman’s autopsy and the clothing he wore the day of the incident.
He told the coroner’s court that he also conducted a reconstruction of the incident with the Fire and Rescue Department.
He was brought in by lawyer Syazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry, Fire and Rescue Department, and Adib’s family at the inquest, to assist with the investigation into the fireman’s death.
Shahrom said that Adib’s injuries were not self-inflicted, but were caused by “persons other than the fireman”.
“The victim died due to critical injuries to his left and right lungs, which were caused by blunt force trauma.
“The blunt force trauma was not self-inflicted but was done by two or more persons,” he told the coroner’s court.
He added that the possible course of events was that Adib was pulled out of the van, and while he was between the van and its door, someone forcefully kicked the door, and as the fireman was pulled further outwards, the door was kicked again.
He said that he made the conclusion based on the injuries to Adib, which were scrape wounds (luka sagat) on his right chest, the back of his waist, while his ribs were broken.
“The injuries suggest that the victim was pulled out from where he was sitting (front passenger side).
“The edge of the door was then forcefully kicked (from the outside) which caused the scrape wound and broken ribs on the right side of his chest,” he said, adding that the door was kicked again, causing bruises on the fireman’s upper right arm.
He said that Adib’s uniform was also missing buttons number one, two, and four, which supported the theory that the fireman was forcefully pulled out from the EMRS van.
“There was also a scrape wound at the back of his waist – that would not have been there if one was to come down on his own from the van,” he added.
He said that the whole incident could have taken place in a short time, from five to eight seconds.
His assessment is different from what were said last week by Kuala Lumpur Hospital pathologists Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood and Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi.
Both doctors testified that the injuries sustained by Adib were not parallel to someone who was attacked.
Shahrom said Adib could not have been injured if there was no outside force.
“Of course I consider the theory of the moving EMRS van but the velocity or the force from the door leaf itself could not cause such severe injuries.
“In my opinion, the broken ribs can be caused if three or more people sat on his chest. That the amount of weight could cause his ribs to break. Therefore, it needs to be some outside force. Not the door itself.
“His ribs could not be broken if that is the case (moving EMRS van theory). Moreover, if he fell his weight could not have caused the ribs to break.”
Investigation officer ASP Lew Keng Joe last Thursday told the inquest that Adib was not assaulted.
Lew had said he informed his superior about Adib’s injuries and agreed that the injuries did not look like the fireman was assaulted.
Shahrom was the 29th witness called to the inquest, which is into its 23rd day.
Judge Rofiah Mohamad sits as coroner for the inquest, which is being held at the Shah Alam Sessions Court.
Earlier reports:
Mar 30, Adib Inquest: Assumption Adib Assaulted Dismissed After Autopsy
Mar 29, Adib Inquest: Broken Ribs Only Discovered During Autopsy
Mar 28, Adib Inquest: Impossible for Adib to Have Been Dragged Out of Van