Bone samples too brittle to test, pathologist tells court
BernamaPublished: Jan 10, 2012 5:34 PM | Updated: Jan 10, 2012 5:35 PM
A forensic pathologist told the High Court hearing the case of the murders of cosmetics millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya and three others today that she could not make a conclusion on the bone samples that were given to her for analysis because they were brittle.
A forensic pathologist told the High Court hearing the case of the murders of cosmetics millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya and three others today that she could not make a conclusion on the bone samples that were given to her for analysis because they were brittle.
A forensic pathologist told the High Court hearing the case of the murders of cosmetics millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya and three others today that she could not make a conclusion on the bone samples that were given to her for analysis because they were brittle.
Professor Dr Faridah Mohd Nor, 49, of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (PPUKM, said because of the condition of the bone samples, she was not able to test whether the bones were that of a human or an animal.
The 80th prosecution witness was testifying in the trial of former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, 43, and three estate workers, T Thilaiyalagan, 21, R Matan, 22, and R Khatavarayan, 32, all of whom are charged with murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.
They are alleged to have committed the murders at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010 and have been charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence, if convicted.
Questioned by deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Dr Faridah said a forensic medical officer at the hospital, Dr Nurliza Abdullah, had given her 10 plastic containers containing the bone samples on Oct 26, 2010 to be analysed.
She said Dr Nurliza did not provide her with background information on the bone samples which she then kept at the hospital morgue before analysing the bones the following day.
While sawing one of the bone fragments taken from one of the plastic containers, the bone became like ash, she added.
Questioned whether she did the test on the bone samples in the other nine containers, Dr Faridah said she did not.
To a question by lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, representing Patmanabhan, on who chose the bone samples, Dr Faridah said she did.
Three other witnesses called
At today’s hearing, the court also called three other witnesses.
They included Inspector Syaiful Hakim Saim, 31, from the Langkawi district police, who brought Kamaruddin’s former wife and their two children, Balqis Dayana and Izran Akmal, to the Langkawi Hospital on Sept 23, 2010 for their blood samples to be taken for a DNA test.
The others are Inspector Sufian Amin, 28, from the Dang Wangi police headquarters, who took the blood specimen of the three family members from Syaiful at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters on Sept 24, 2010, and Inspector Chien Wen Sin, 29,
Chien was entrusted with bringing Noorhisham’s mother, Satinah Mokhtar; Kamaruddin’s mother, Zainab Ahmad and Sosilawati’s daughter, Ernieriwati Sofiah Buhari, to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Sept 14, 2010, for their blood samples to be taken.
Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir adjourned today’s hearing to Thursday.
Professor Dr Faridah Mohd Nor, 49, of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (PPUKM, said because of the condition of the bone samples, she was not able to test whether the bones were that of a human or an animal.
The 80th prosecution witness was testifying in the trial of former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, 43, and three estate workers, T Thilaiyalagan, 21, R Matan, 22, and R Khatavarayan, 32, all of whom are charged with murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.
They are alleged to have committed the murders at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010 and have been charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence, if convicted.
Questioned by deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Dr Faridah said a forensic medical officer at the hospital, Dr Nurliza Abdullah, had given her 10 plastic containers containing the bone samples on Oct 26, 2010 to be analysed.
She said Dr Nurliza did not provide her with background information on the bone samples which she then kept at the hospital morgue before analysing the bones the following day.
While sawing one of the bone fragments taken from one of the plastic containers, the bone became like ash, she added.
Questioned whether she did the test on the bone samples in the other nine containers, Dr Faridah said she did not.
To a question by lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, representing Patmanabhan, on who chose the bone samples, Dr Faridah said she did.
Three other witnesses called
At today’s hearing, the court also called three other witnesses.
They included Inspector Syaiful Hakim Saim, 31, from the Langkawi district police, who brought Kamaruddin’s former wife and their two children, Balqis Dayana and Izran Akmal, to the Langkawi Hospital on Sept 23, 2010 for their blood samples to be taken for a DNA test.
The others are Inspector Sufian Amin, 28, from the Dang Wangi police headquarters, who took the blood specimen of the three family members from Syaiful at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters on Sept 24, 2010, and Inspector Chien Wen Sin, 29,
Chien was entrusted with bringing Noorhisham’s mother, Satinah Mokhtar; Kamaruddin’s mother, Zainab Ahmad and Sosilawati’s daughter, Ernieriwati Sofiah Buhari, to the Kuala Lumpur Hospital on Sept 14, 2010, for their blood samples to be taken.
Justice Datuk Akhtar Tahir adjourned today’s hearing to Thursday.
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