Adib inquest: HKL pathologists chastised for failing to include colour scale

ADIB INQUEST | An expert witness in the inquest to determine the cause of death of firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim has told off the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (HKL) Forensics Department over its recording of the victim's injuries.

Retired Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) forensic pathology professor Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid said HKL pathologists should have included a colour scale when taking the photographs of Adib's bruises during post-mortem.

Shahrom, who used to helm UKM Hospital's forensics unit, gave his piece of mind over the matter when he was asked by inquest conducting officer Hamdan Hamzah to assess a triangle-shaped bruise on Adib's right arm based on a photograph from the post-mortem.

Hamdan: Professor, you said that the victim's injuries were caused by (Emergency Medical Rescue Services van) door hitting the upper front side of his body, and the imprint mark was produced when the body was hit by the door frame.

If you look at the bruise, can you tell us what is the colour of the bruise?

Shahrom: In this matter, I would like to see the original post-mortem photograph.

[Shahrom then examines a photograph that was tendered as evidence in the inquest.]

Shahrom: This original photograph should have a colour scale, (because) I want to know the RGB reference. The colour scale, red, green, and blue.

Only when we look at the reference, we can comment on what is the colour (of the bruise).

If we refer to page 16 (another photograph), the colour of the victim's arm is more yellowish compared to this post-mortem photo which is chocolate-ish.

So, I want to comment... I apologise for making this comment. The practice of (HKL) forensic pathologists in taking photographs that involve colours (of injuries), there must be a colour scale as well, not only a length scale.

Thus, on this basis, I do not want to comment (on the colour of the victim's bruise), because it can be black, blue, chocolate, or anything because there is no reference.

So, when we want to photograph (bruises), we have to include a colour scale. So, when we refer to the RGB (scale) side by side, we can tell the real colour (of the bruise).

[More to follow] - Mkini