By Jaynne Koh
FULL REPORT The Teoh Beng Hock inquiry this morning was told that although there was pressure wound on the political aide's neck, there was no sign of asphyxia.
Sungai Buloh Hospital pathologist Dr Shahidan Mohd Noor said this when cross-examined by MACC lawyer Abdul Razak Musa.
Shahidan maintained that the cause of Teoh's death was due to fall from height.
Shahidan said "in my opinion the injuries are more consistent and compatible with that sustained after the fall".
His testimony was in contradictory to the evidence tendered by Thai forensic pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand on Oct 21 last year when she had said that the political aide had probably been brutalised before his death.
Teoh, 30, the political secretary to Selangor executive council member Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16, 2009 at the state MACC office in Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam.
He was taken in for questioning a day earlier at the 14th floor of the MACC building over alleged irregularities in disbursement of state funds. Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor.
First autopsy more reliable
Continuing his testimony, Shahidan said that the signs of injury on Teoh's head, neck and legs showed that he was conscious when he fell.
He also said the result of the first autopsy was more reliable and superior as Teoh's body was still fresh when the autopsy was conducted.
Shahidan said the injury to Teoh's anal region was not the result of sodomy but was consistent with the fall.
"The stratum area suffered a fracture where it broke during the fall and it was inserted back as effects of the fall."
"The injury is consistent with a fall," he said.
He was also of the opinion that there was no injury to suggest Teoh had been hit.
A second post-mortem was conducted on Teoh's body on Nov 22 and the inquest is now hearing the medical experts on their findings based on the second post-mortem.
Selangor government-appointed pathologist Pornthip and MACC-appointed Dr Peter Venezis are scheduled to take the stand on April 20 and April 26 respectively.
Injuries to neck before fall
Meanwhile, outside of the courtroom, Teoh's family lawyer Gobind Singh Deo told reporters that the earlier post-mortem reports made little mention of the injuries to the neck.
"The evidence by Dr Shahiddan has been very clear in pointing to the injuries to the neck. Secondly, as we see from questions by the coroner today, he also seemed to suggest that the injuries to the neck were caused before the fall.
"So, this has now become a very significant issue, because if these injuries were caused before the fall, then someone has to account for it.
"It implies that there was physical contacts and something had happened," Gobind said.
He said the question arose as to why the two earlier doctors did not notice, or did not emphasize, such injuries in the first postmortem reports.
Gobind was referring to Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim and Dr Prashant Navesh Samberker, the two pathologist who participated in the first autopsy of Teoh's body.
Counsel for MACC Abdul Razak had earlier suggested that it might be prudent to call the two doctors to come to court to explain for themselves as to why the injury not given significance in their previous reports.
Thai pathologist Pornthip had in the first line of her postmortem report said she agreed with the two experts - that there were pre-fall injuries to Teoh's body.
"As far as we are concerned, Dr Pornthip only said what she said based on the notes of evidence. Pornthip is coming back to court, she is ready to explain that, with reference to the notes of evidence where these comments were made."
"We know that Beng Hock entered the MACC office, healthy and without any injuries. So we don't know why and what caused the injuries (to the neck) inflicted before he fell," he said, adding that "we shall leave that to the coroner to decide".
The inquest, held at the Shah Alam magistrate's court, continues before coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, on April 20.
