Teoh Inquest Day 10: It was suicide, says Dr Prashant

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2.50pm: Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh Beng Hock’s family, starts questioning the witness.

2.30pm: UMMC forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar says that Teoh Beng Hock probably committed suicide.

When questioned by Tan Hock Chuan, the lawyer appointed by the Government to assist the Coroner, Dr Prashant said it his opinion that the death was suicidal.

He gives his reason as being: Accidental falls commonly occur under the influence of drugs or alcohol, while the toxicology report for Teoh was negative, hence an accidental fall is unlikely.

Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, had also told the inquest earlier that he believed Teoh had committed suicide.

2.04pm: Inquest resumes.

12.20pm: Court takes a break for lunch.

11.30am: UMMC forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar puts time of death between eight and 12 hours before his first visit to the site at 7.15pm on July 16, which means political aide Teoh Beng Hock died between 7.15am and 11.15am on July 16.

11.04am: UMMC forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar says the injuries sustained in Teoh Beng Hock’s anal region were a result of the impact at the time of landing.

On Monday, Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, said Teoh had injuries in his anus, adding it was possible that such injuries could have been caused when he was beaten with a blunt wooden object.

10.51am: UMMC forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar says cause of death was multiple injuries due to fall from a height, adds that Teoh Beng Hock was alive at the time of impact on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam where his body was found.

10.35am: University Malaya Medical Centre forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar clarifies to the court that he was appointed by the police and NOT the family of Teoh Beng Hock to assist in the post-mortem.

10.30am: University Malaya Medical Centre (forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar, expected to be the star witness of the day, takes the stand.

The Indian national conducted the post-mortem on Teoh Beng Hock with Chief Inspector Mazli Jusoh, the investigating officer from the Forensics Dept at the Selangor police headquarters.

He is the 15th witness to be called.

10.00am: Chief Inspector Mazli Jusoh tells the inquest that a fingerprint must have at least eight characteristics to allow identification.

Once it has been detected with at least eight characteristics, the “lifting” and documentation process would be carried out. The lifted fingerprint would then be sent to the D2 unit in Bukit Aman for comparison with prints in the criminal databases of Malaysia and Singapore.

In the case of political aide Teoh Beng Hock, the prints detected at the site of his fall had incomplete characteristics, Mazli said.

9.43am: The 10th day of the inquest begins with 13th witness Chief Inspector Mazli Jusoh, the investigating officer from the Forensics Dept at the Selangor police headquarters (IPK Selangor), being recalled to the stand.

He is being questioned by Tan Hock Chuan, who is acting for the Attorney-General.

SHAH ALAM: The inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock entered its 10th day on Tuesday with Chief Inspector Mazli Jusoh, the investigating officer from the Forensics Dept at the Selangor police headquarters, being recalled to the stand.

Universiti Malaya Medical Centre forensic pathologist Dr Prashant Samberkar was the next witness to be called.

Teoh, 30, who was political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam, a day after he was taken in by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to assist in its investigation into the alleged abuse of state government funds.

The MACC has its state office on the 14th floor of the building.

The Coroner is Azmil Mustapha Abas and Tan Hock Chuan is the lawyer appointed by the Government to assist the Coroner.

Gobind Singh Deo is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family while Malik Imtiaz Sarwar is representing the Selangor government.

On Monday, Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, the Klang Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) senior consultant pathologist, told the inquest that Teoh had facial injuries and it is possible that they were caused by a beating.

Khairul also said the political aide had injuries in his anus, adding it was possible that such an injury could have been caused when he was beaten with a blunt wooden object.

Teoh had severe multiple injuries which included a perforated anus, broken ribs, fractured ribs, limbs, and skull as well as various bruises and lacerations. - The Star.