Second post mortem for Teoh Beng Hock

Written by Chua Sue-Ann, The Edge

Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas today gave the go-ahead for deceased political secretary Teoh Beng Hock’s body to be exhumed for a second post mortem to be conducted by a nominated medical officer with the assistance of prominent Thai forensic pathologist Dr Porntip Rojanasunand.

In granting the request from Teoh’s family, Azmil also ordered the presence of the two government doctors who had conducted the first post mortem as well as a pathologist appointed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) as observers.

Teoh’s family had initially wanted Rojanasunand to personally conduct the second post mortem but that bid ran into legal complications since the Thai doctor was not certified by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC), employed at a local medical institution, or the recepient of academic qualifications that received exemptions under the Medical Act 1971.

Counsel for the Teoh family, Gobind Singh Deo, yesterday acknowledged that it would be difficult for Rojanasunand to comply with the legal requirements “in a short period of time” to enable her to personally conduct the procedure.

Gobind then requested that Rojanasunand be allowed to supervise the second post mortem and direct further investigations of particular areas, if necessary.

He also requested that Rojanasunand be recalled to court to present her findings and the new post mortem report.

Rojanasunand, who was engaged by the Selangor state government, had indicated that she would be available to oversee the second post mortem on Nov 14, Gobind said.

The Selangor state government’s counsel Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, in supporting the application, reminded the court that this case was of public interest and forensic value.

“It’s obvious to all that it is a matter of public interest, not only because of the nature of death but the nature of the case. There have been contradicting positions by pathologists that have come to court to give evidence,” Malik said.

Malik also noted that Rojanasunand said Teoh’s body could still be examined despite having been buried for over three months.

MACC’s legal affairs and prosecutions director Datuk Abdul Razak Musa and lawyer Tan Hock Chuan, who is leading the attorney-general’s team in assisting the coroner, did not raise objections to the exhumation application.

The Teoh family filed the exhumation application at the Shah Alam High Court on Oct 27 after Rojanasunand’s explosive testimony where she suggested the possibility of Teoh having been assaulted and unconscious before falling to his death.

In her Oct 21 testimony, Rojanasunand noted several injuries on Teoh’s body, which she said were consistent with injuries from manual strangulation, beating and anal penetration.

Rojanasunand , the director-general of the Thai Ministry of Justice’s Central Institute of Forensic Science, also said there was an “80% probability of homicide and 20% probability of suicide” in the unresolved case.

Rojanasunand’s earlier evidence was based on the first post mortem as well as photographs taken during the autopsy and at the scene where Teoh’s body was found.

The first autopsy on Beng Hock was performed on July 17 by Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Klang’s senior consultant pathologist Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim and Universiti Malaya Medical Centre pathologist Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar.

Beng Hock’s body was found on July 16 on a fifth floor landing at the Plaza Masalam, near an office block that houses the Selangor MACC office.

The 30-year-old aide to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah was earlier at the MACC’s office for overnight interrogation having been identified as a witness in the anti-graft body’s probe into alleged misappropriation of funds by several Pakatan Rakyat assemblymen.

Details regarding the proposed medical officer to conduct the post mortem, date and location will be determined when the inquest resumes on Nov 9.

Gobind later told reporters he was considering Serdang Hospital given that it was closest to Semenyih, where Beng Hock’s body was laid to rest on July 20.

When asked, Gobind said the family, at this point in time, had not shortlisted potential doctors to conduct the post mortem.

“Preparations will have to be made. We respect that there are religious and cultural issues involved [in the exhumation],” Gobind said.