‘Suicide theory baseless’

(NST) SHAH ALAM: Counsel Gobind Singh Deo poured scorn on Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim's "suicide theory", saying that it was baseless.

On Dr Khairul's explanation that Teoh's left shoe had come off during impact, Gobind pointed out that there were no marks on the shoe to suggest this.

Dr Khairul also admitted that he did not measure Teoh's feet and would be in no position to say whether his shoes were loose.

Gobind: How far was the left shoe from the body?

Dr Khairul: I didn't measure it as I did not have a measuring tape.

He also said that if the shoe was tight, it wouldn't have come off.

Gobind: Is it possible that the shoe could have been thrown out of the building?

Dr Khairul: Yes.

Gobind: Wouldn't that be an indication that the body was thrown out and someone would have tossed the shoe?

Dr Khairul: Yes, that is possible.

He, however, did not test the shoe for fingerprints because his laboratory did not have the facilities and had thought the police would have done it.

At this juncture, Gobind jumped and accused the witness of a cover-up.

Dr Khairul: I am not covering up anything.

 

Gobind: So why didn't you do this? You could have directed police to conduct the test.

Dr Khairul: I forgot.

The counsel also contended that if the shoe had come off during the impact it would have markings, to which the witness agreed.

(Teoh's left shoe had no obvious markings but his right shoe had drag marks on the sole and a cream-coloured fabric glued to the sole).

Gobind: So your theory is finished. You said that the shoe came off during impact but there are no markings.

Dr Khairul stood his ground and said that the left shoe had no markings because it had come off.

Gobind: This man weighs 70kg and fell nine floors down. That must be quite a strong impact and you are saying that the shoe flew of without leaving any marks?

Dr Khairul: Visually there was nothing but if a forensic scientist examined it thoroughly he may have found something.

Gobind: You are giving us theories based on insufficient facts?

Dr Khairul also demonstrated how Teoh could have stepped out of the window before falling to his death.

He stood up and sat on the side of the witness box with both his hands on the rail-ing, before swinging his feet over.

At this point, Gobind pointed out that if Teoh did that, his palm prints would be found on the window frame, but none was found.

Gobind: There are no footprints or hand prints. Your theory is demolished…you are wrong.

Dr Khairul: I don't agree. The prints may be there. I looked but I didn't see any.

He also agreed with Gobind that if Teoh had jumped, his body would be found near the wall.

In this case, he added, the body was found quite a distance from the wall but he did not measure the distance as he did not have a measuring tape.