61 people questioned, none saw Adib assaulted, says cop

Lew Keng Joe of the Subang Jaya police headquarters says none of the 61 witnesses he interviewed said they saw Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim assaulted.

SHAH ALAM: The officer investigating Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim’s death said there was no witness statement showing the fireman was assaulted during the Seafield temple fracas last year.

Lew Keng Joe from Subang Jaya police told the inquest into Adib’s death today that none of the 61 individuals he questioned during the investigation saw the fireman being attacked.

He added from the 61 individuals, 29 people were those who were near the Nov 27 temple riot scene.

He said the sole witness who did see an assault taking place could not ascertain the identity of the victim.

“There was a witness, Nasaruddin, who claimed that he saw a group of people beating and kicking someone on the ground but could not see who was the one assaulted,” Lew said when asked by conducting officer Faten Hadni Khairuddin.

Lew was referring to Nasaruddin Abdullah, who had earlier testified in the inquest that he saw a group of five to six people assaulting someone on the ground.

Nasaruddin had said the assault lasted less than a minute, followed by someone being carried away from the crowd to a nearby petrol station.

Lew, who has over 10 years’ experience as an investigating officer, said that two witnesses, namely Narresh Rajandran and Suresh Surunarianni, told the police during questioning that they found Adib unconscious.

“Suresh said he saw a group of people surround Adib who was kicked from behind by someone he (Suresh) did not know,” Lew said.

Lew further told the inquest that the 66 individuals sought after by police to assist investigations into the violence linked to the Seafield temple controversy had never turned up.

“Until now none of them has come forward,” Lew said.

Lew said that he had also asked Hospital Kuala Lumpur’s (HKL) pathologist team to conduct checks on the uniform that Adib wore during the temple riot.

According to him, forensic expert Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi told him that Adib’s long-sleeve shirt may have been washed.

“There were no marks on the shirt’s right sleeve,” Lew said.

The inquest was called by the government amid conflicting claims on the cause of Adib’s death.

Adib was part of a response team sent from the Subang Jaya fire and rescue station on Nov 27 last year to the temple area in answer to a call that cars had been set on fire. He died at the National Heart Institute (IJN) on Dec 17.

Adib was emotional

Meanwhile, Lew said he had visited Adib on Dec 12, 2018.

He said he first saw Adib outside the Intensive Care Unit at IJN.

“I introduced myself to him as the IO and asked him if he was beaten during the riot.

“He could not answer me and he looked emotional. He wanted to use his left hand to pull out the breathing tubes but the nurses stopped him,” he told conducting officer Faten Hadni Khairuddin.

Lew said cardiothoracic consultant surgeon, Dr Mohamed Ezani Md Taib, who treated Adib in IJN, told him that Adib might have suffered a memory loss due to low blood pressure.

Lew said he and his supervisor, GK Shan Gopal, wanted to visit Adib on Dec 17, but was not allowed into the ICU room.

“That night, Shan Gopal called me and said Adib had passed away,” he said.

Lew said he later recorded statements from Adib’s supervisor and a medical officer from IJN.

He said Selangor Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief Fadzil Ahmat told him that Adib’s colleagues had taken down notes on the alleged assault when Adib was hospitalised in IJN.

Lew said he had also questioned IJN medical assistant Ashraf Baruji, who had testified to the inquest that Adib indicated to him that he was pulled from behind and assaulted.

But he said there was nothing spoken about Ashraf’s chat with Adib.

Hearing continues on April 3 before coroner Rofiah Mohamad. - FMT