Forensic expert in Adib inquest experiments with speed of van

Hospital Kuala Lumpur forensic expert Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi (middle) at the Shah Alam court complex. The doctor was conducting an experiment on speed of the medical van.

SHAH ALAM: The coroner, conducting officers and pathologist in the inquest into the death of fireman Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim witnessed an experiment today on the speed of the fire and rescue department’s medical van.

Forensic doctor Dr Ahmad Hafizam Hasmi from Hospital Kuala Lumpur oversaw the test, which saw the van reversed at between 8km/h and 17km/h.

Hafizam previously told the inquest that the van in which Adib was seated during the riot at the Seafield temple on Nov 27, 2018, had been reversing at that speed.

He also said Adib was not pulled out from the front passenger seat.

The experiment today which began at 10.15am took over an hour. It was held in the basement car park of the court complex, in the presence of coroner Rofiah Mohamad, conducting officer Faten Hadni Khairuddin and lawyers for Adib’s family and the housing and local government ministry.

Dr Hafizam Hasmi explaining the experiment to coroner Rofiah Mohamad (right, black tudung), conducting officers and lawyers.

Hafizam began by explaining his theory, following which several firemen reversed the medical van at the two speeds.

However, his experiment was brought to a halt at 11am after a sewage pipe in the car park burst.

It resumed until 11.30am once the team was moved out from the basement.

Hafizam will continue to be cross-examined by the lawyers representing the ministry and Adib’s family.

Hafizam, who previously testified in the inquest, was recalled to give his evidence after another forensic expert, Dr Shahrom Abd Wahid, said in his testimony that Adib might have been pulled out from the medical van and assaulted by individuals during the riot.

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 response to a call that cars had been set on fire. He died at the National Heart Institute on Dec 17. - FMT