A SENIOR police officer told an inquest into the death of a fireman that he did not know how Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Mohamad Fuzi Harun could know Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim had been beaten by rioters instead of being hit by a truck.

Investigation officer assistant superintendent Lew Keng Joe said the statement by Fuzi, made in late November last year after riots at the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman temple, were “unhelpful” to the probe.

Lew said he was not sure how the police chief could have come to the conclusion that Adib was beaten.

“I am aware of the statement made by the IGP but it didn’t help much with the probe. I do not know how the IGP can make that claim.

“I think he interviewed some people at the Subang Jaya Medical Centre so he came up with what he had said,” Lew told the inquest that was held in Shah Alam today.

Asked by the conducting officer to explain on how Fuzi came to make that statement, Lew said, “You want me to record the IGP’s statement? Maybe you should subpoena the IGP and ask him.”

Fuzi made the claim on November 29 last year at a press conference.

Lew said not one witness had told the police that they saw Adib being attacked by rioters.

“I was not informed by any witness that Adib was beaten. They claim they heard about a fireman being beaten, but no one said to me that they saw him (Adib) beaten.”

He also said the four men arrested after the riots were released after investigations showed that they were not involved in attacking Adib.

“They were arrested in Jasin, Malacca. After interrogating them, we found that they were not involved in the attack and were released.”

The inquest has so far been hearing testimonies about whether Adib was the fireman standing behind an emergency medical rescue services (EMRS) van at the scene of the riots at the temple, and the nature of the injuries he sustained, that included broken ribs.

The 24-year-old fireman had been part of a response team sent from the Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue Department station to the temple area on November 27 after receiving a call that cars had been set on fire.

Adib was sent to the Subang Jaya Medical Centre and then transferred to the National Heart Institute, where he died on December 17. – April 3, 2019