Pornthip: Wound on Beng Hock 's neck caused by blunt object

Kuching

Wednesday, 18th August 2010

Taken From Malaysia Chronicle

The Teoh Beng Inquest has begun and star witness Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand affirmed her view that Beng Hock suffered extensive injury to his neck caused by a blunt object prior to his fall.

Under questioning by Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, the lawyer acting for the Selangor state government, she said she found extensive hemorrhage on the neck that could not have been caused by manual strangulation alone.

"Wounds caused by blunt object," she told the court, adding that something could have been pressed to Teoh's head or neck. She excluded the possibility the wound had been due to the fall.

Malik had begun by referring to her past testimony where she had said there was 80 percent chance of homicide gauging from pictures taken of his corpse.

Pornthip confirmed that at the second post-mortem, she did not touch Beng Hock's body. But Sungai Buloh pathologist Dr Shahidan did as she instructed and she was able to form her conclusion. The questioning is still ongoing.

Earlier, Dr Pornthip was greeted by loud cheering as she entered the packed courtroom. Many of Beng Hock’s supporters are attending the hearing, as to them, Pornthip’s testimony symbolizes the injustice of his death.

The 30-year old Selangor political officer, who was a former journalist, had died in mysterious and extremely suspicious circumstances after overnight interrogation by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The MACC says Beng Hock committed suicide but his family and friends are adamant foul play was involved. They blame the MACC for torturing Beng Hock during interrogation and for causing his death.

Federal-government pathologists say Beng Hock died from injuries after falling from a great height. Pornthip, who is acting on behalf of the Selangor government, has said there was an 80 percent chance of homicide.

Dr Peter Vanezis, the expert witness for the MACC, has said Beng Hock was alive when he hit the ground but did not rule out homicide.

Beng Hock had been called in as a witness by the MACC in connection with a corruption probe against his boss Ean Yong and several other top DAP leaders. The probe is widely believed to have been part of a conspiracy plotted by Umno to topple the Pakatan Rakyat state government in Selangor.

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