Family files in court for second autopsy
By Rita Jong, NST
Teoh Beng Hock’s family members filed an application to exhume the political aide’s body for the purpose of a second post-mortem to be conducted by Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunan.
The application was filed by their counsel, Gobind Singh Deo, at the coroner’s court here yesterday.
It was made following Dr Pornthip’s shocking testimony in court saying that there was a 80 per cent chance that Teoh’s death was homicide.
Her evidence last Wednesday contradicted the findings of two pathologists — Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim of Tengku Ampuan Rahimah and Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre — who conducted the post-mortem.
Dr Pornthip told coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas last Wednesday that she found injury marks on Teoh which suggested that there was manual strangulation and that he was unconscious when he fell.
She also testified that there were pre-fall injuries at the anal region, and the back of his right thigh.
Dr Pornthip was called in as an independent expert witness by the Selangor government.
She, however, had said her findings were only based on photographs, X-rays, and the postmortem report sent to her.
She also said that she was ready to conduct a post-mortem herself to prove her findings.
Gobind, who was accompanied by Teoh’s brother, Meng Kee, at the court yesterday said Dr Pornthip’s findings were based on photographs taken by the government pathologists.
“Both did not speak of injuries which indicated manual strangulation. There was also lack of emphasis placed on the injuries at the anal region.”
He said counsel Tan Hock Chuan, who was appointed by the Attorney-General to assist in the inquest, and the parties representing the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission had taken the view that Dr Pornthip’s testimony was not based on her conducting a post-mortem.
“Hence, we want her to conduct the autopsy to prove her findings.”
Gobind said he also filed a certificate of urgency and hoped to get a hearing date by this week to make an oral application in court.
“It would be easier to conduct the post-mortem if we have the support of the Attorney-General (if the application is granted by coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas).
“If not, we will look for ways to do it ourselves, but it will involve a lot of money,” he said, adding that he hoped to have the second autopsy done before the next hearing date on Nov 9.
Teoh’s body was laid to rest at the Nirwana Memorial Park in Semenyih on July 20.
