FIREMAN Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim had likely sustained his injuries while he was exiting the Emergency Medical Rescue Services vehicle in a hurry as the van was moving in reverse, during the Seafield temple riots last year, the coroner’s court was told today.

Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) forensic expert Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi said Adib’s injuries and the situation on the ground did not indicate any sign of force inflicted on the fireman.

“The victim exited in a hurry and struck the left-hand corner of the EMRS van door.

“This had resulted in him suffering abrasions one the left side of his hip and he broke seven ribs,” he said at the Shah Alam High Court where he was testifying in the inquest into Adib’s death. 

Dr Hafizam dismissed the opinion of another expert, Prof Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid, who concluded that Adib was pulled out of the vehicle and crushed between the van’s sliding doors.

He said there were discrepancies in the forensic experiments that were carried out by Dr Shahrom, who is a senior consultant forensic pathologist.

He said based on a re-examination and experiment carried out on April 12, he and HKL Forensic Department chief Dr Mohd Shah Mahmood concurred in disagreeing with the theory presented by Dr Shahrom.

Hafizam said based on their post-mortem report, Adib had knocked against the door, fell down and hit his chest against a hard surface.

“He hit his right chest on a hard, wide, blunt and rough surface.

“There was also bruising on the right chest and right upper arm; there were five broken ribs, left and right scars on the knees,” he said.

When asked by conducting officer Faten Hadni Khairuddin if he was dragged out of the van, Hafizam said based on the post-mortem, there were no marks on his back to show that he was dragged.

He also said that the left side of the van was considered a “danger zone”.

“I disagree that he was pulled out. We also didn’t find any bruises on him.

“If he was taken, he would have fought back. Those around him would also be injured because of the moving van and this was based on a 12-second video.

“We also never got any reports of people injured,” he said.

He said that Dr Shahrom’s theories were inconsistent with the injuries of the victim. 

“Dr Shahrom’s reconstruction of the incidents did not cover all elements. He only picked the injuries on certain parts of the body which are the right upper arm and chest.

“His theories were not suitable for the situations and circumstances that happened during the incident at the danger zone.

“Based on the video, there was no one at the danger zone.”

Adib, who was Subang Jaya Fire and Rescue EMRS personnel, sustained injuries in a riot at the Sri Maha Mariamman temple in USJ 25, Subang Jaya on November 27, 2018.

He later died on December 17 at the National Heart Institute.

The inquest resumes tomorrow before coroner Rofiah Mohamad. – May 14, 2019.