Thursday, August 6, 2009

Teoh inquest: Live updates ( Day 2)

4.26pm: Inquest adjourns to Friday. Coroner to visit scene of crime.

4.18pm: Dr Seah said blood found on Teoh's body came from a single source.

3.35pm: Dr Seah said in her hypothesis, force was applied at the tear region of the belt in order for the tear to occur. Cross examined by Gobind Singh who suggested that the belt might have been held, Dr Seah said it was one of the many possibilities.

Gobind: Do you also say that it’s fair that this man was being held from a high building by the belt and it snapped? Is that a possibility?

Dr Seah: It’s speculative but it’s one of the many possibilities.

3.20pm: Dr Seah said DNA profiles of 157 individuals were compared with 'Male 1' and the other unknown male contributor. She found 'Male 1' not among the 157 and neither is anyone of the 157 a contributing source of DNA derived from the swab taken from the belt.

Dr Seah said it was not possible to identify someone's race from the sample taken.

3pm: Dr Seah opens package to show the coat worn by Teoh. Another package contained Teoh's pants with blood stains found mainly on the right side.

Dr Seah showed Teoh's belt to the court. She said DNA profile derived from a swab taken at a tear region of the belt consisted of a mix of male DNA types, indicating concordance with Teoh, Male 1 and at least one other unknown male.

She said further DNA testing for comparison and matching were carried out on 157 individuals.

2.19pm: Inquest resumes. Dr Seah called to the stand.

Dr Seah said DNA profile derived from swab taken from the back outer side of a blazer consisted of a mix of male DNA types of two individuals concordant with Teoh and one unknown male identified as 'Male 1'

12.35pm: Dr Seah Lay Hong of Chemist Dept introduces exhibits, including Teoh's nail clippings and hair.

Court takes a break, to resume 2pm.

11.35am: Inquest resumes. Chemist Saiful Fazamil Mohd Ali, specialising in criminology, introduces exhibits, including metal watch strap and watch components and a blood stained pants.

Saiful said he went to Plaza Masalam, inspected a broken latch of a window at MACC office. A screw measuring 5cm, tendered as exhibit, did not match the type of screw used in the latch.

10.50am: Court in recess.

10.40am: Gobind: Is there possibility of high adrenalin content if a person is about to fall off or pushed from a high place?
Zaihara: Yes.
Gobind: Did you do an adrenalin test.
Zaihara: No
Gobind: You did not do it because it was not requested by police?
Zaihara: Adrenalin is not a type of common drug. It is produced naturally in the body.
Gobind: If police asked for the test?
Zaihara: Toxicology test does not include adrenalin test.

10.30am: Gobind Singh asks Zaihara if she knows history of Teoh's case and speculation that Teoh "di-tolak" (pushed). DPP Tan then said question irrelevant and that Gobind Singh was badgering Zaihara. Gobind Singh responded saying why words "pushed" and "suicide" cannot be used. "Isn't this an inquiry into his death," Gobind Singh said.

10.20am: Argument broke out between DPP Tan and lawyers for Teoh's family and Selangor govt over lawyer Gobind Singh's statement that DPP Tan is badgering witness.

10:00am: Zaihara: No traces of alcohol or common drugs in Teoh's system at time of death based on analysis of samples.

9.45am: Seventh witness Zaihara Awang, chemist with Chemistry Dept, said she received samples of stomach content, blood and urine of Teoh.

9.30am: DPP Tan Hock Chuan asks Abdul Rahman about log book which had no entries for months. Abdul Rahman admits not updating the book regularly.

9.22am: Inquest begins. Sixth witness Plaza Masalam security guard Abdul Rahman Rahim takes the stand.

SHAH ALAM: It is Day 2 of the inquest on the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock.

It is set to take an interesting turn as experts such as chemists are expected to testify on their respective findings and reports on toxicology, criminology and DNA.

The inquest on Wednesday saw six witnesses -four from the security personnel of Plaza Masalam, one technician at the plaza, and one policeman from the Shah Alam district police department - taking the stand.

The sixth witness, a security guard who was on duty at the lobby of Plaza Masalam is expected to take the stand again today to present the security log book to check on names of people who entered and left the plaza on July 16, the day Teoh’s body was found.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family, had also revealed that the DNA samples taken from two “reluctant” witnesses - Kajang councillor Tan Boon Hwa and one Lee Wye Wing - did not match those found on Teoh’s belt and blazer.

So the mystery DNA found on Teoh remains unsolved for now.

The inquest before Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, who is the Shah Alam High Court deputy registrar, will see a total 97 witnesses including Teoh’s family members, colleagues and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers involved in questioning Teoh the day before his death.

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