Possible to drag Adib out of EMRS van within 5 to 8 seconds - witness

INQUEST | A retired University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) forensic pathology professor said Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim could have been dragged out of the EMRS van within five to eight seconds on the night of the Seafield Temple riots late last year.

Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid’s testimony in today’s inquest into the fireman’s death contradicts the one given by an expert from Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL).

The 29th witness told the Shah Alam Coroner’s Court that this was based on his reconstruction of events during the Nov 27 riots, after having looked at event re-enactments done by the Fire and Rescue Department, among others.

Shahrom (photo) said this when questioned by lawyer Syazlin Mansor, who is representing the Housing and Local Government Ministry.

Syazlin: There were those who said that there was very little time for (Adib) to have been dragged out (of the EMRS van which was at the scene of the riots at Subang).

Shahrom: My reconstruction (of events) showed that (Adib) was pulled out (of the van) and was hit on the front right chest (by force exerted on the van’s left passenger side door). His right forearm hit the left (van door) and he fell (out of the van). It would only take five to eight seconds as the EMRS (van) was slowly reversing.

Syazlin: You have taken into account (the notion) that Adib was dragged out of the van as it was moving?

Shahrom: Yes.

Syazlin: How about the notion that Adib was sent hurtling to the left (side of the EMRS van and to the road curb or some other nearby hard object) by the (van’s front passenger) door?

Shahrom: Based on the (first) video (depicting an FRT lorry and the EMRS van reversing to avoid an angry crowd at the scene of the riots), the USJ (CCTV or closed circuit television footage) is clearer (in showing the sequence of events). After having taken into account the first video and the USJ (CCTV) video, (Adib’s body) could not suffer the fractures (on his front right ribs and left rear ribs, if he was sent flying by the van’s door as the vehicle reversed).

In previous inquest proceedings before Coroner Rofiah Mohamad, HKL medical forensics specialist Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi testified that there was too little time window for Adib to have been dragged out of the EMRS van.

Shahrom, 61, today also pointed out that his reconstruction of events showed that Adib’s chest and back injuries could only be sustained if the victim been caught between the van’s left passenger door and the vehicle’s door jamb, as a result of being pulled out of the vehicle by one person while another person kicked the door.

[More to follow] - Mkini