Straight line injury on Adib’s back 'not by parang'

INQUEST | The spine of a parang could not have caused the straight line injury seen on the back of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) medical forensic specialist Ahmad Dr Hafizam Hasmi testified today.

During the 17th day of the inquest into Adib’s death, Hafizam told the Shah Alam Coroner’s Court that the impact from someone using a parang's spine to strike was not sufficient to cause the specific back injury suffered by Adib.

Inquest coordinating officer Hamdan Hamzah: From what position can the victim sustain this type of injury?

Hafizam: Based on the fractured third to seventh rear ribs, it is possible that the deceased was in a standing position when he received an impact from a narrow, hard and upright object (to his back).

Hamdan: Can this type of injury be sustained by a person wielding the back of a parang upon the deceased?

Hafizam: The chances (of Adib sustaining such an injury) on the left side of his back by being beaten with such an object (back of parang) is impossible in light of the fractured third until seventh rear ribs.

A person using the object would create an impact which is strong due to a swinging (motion). If the back of the deceased had been struck, what would fracture would only be the rib that received the impact (from the back of a parang).

But in this case, the victim must have been in a standing position and the object (which hit Adib from the back) was also upright.

For someone to strike using an object in an upright way with such force would not result in the current impact (seen on Adib’s back)

If there was swinging (of the parang), the chances of fractures on the third to the seventh ribs would be impossible as it would leave scratch marks.

But the back of the deceased had no such scratch marks. Instead, it was a linear fracture in a straight line. Even in a bent over position, such a movement cannot result in the fracture of the third to seventh ribs.

The ribs fractured inwards when they received an impact from the back which is only possible when the left door frame of the EMRS (Emergency Medical Rescue Services) (van) opened.

Previously, Hafizam had testified that Adib may have gotten injured by the open rear door of the EMRS van he had alighted from during the Seafield Sri Maha Mariamman Temple riots on Nov 27 last year.

Adib passed away on Dec 17 at 9.41pm at the National Heart Institute after succumbing to injuries sustained on the night of the riots. The inquest was ordered after two conflicting versions of his cause of death emerged.

One version claimed he was hit by a Fire and Rescue Services vehicle while the other said he was beaten up by a mob.

[More to follow] - Mkini