| Court Okays Exhumation Of Teoh Beng Hock's Remains |
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SHAH ALAM, Nov 4 (Bernama) -- The Coroner's Court here on Wednesday allowed the family of the late Teoh Beng Hock, who was laid to rest more than three months ago, to have his remains exhumed so that a second post-mortem on him can be carried out.
Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas also ordered that the second post-mortem be handled by a medical officer in the presence of four forensic experts, namely Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim, Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand of Thailand and another expert to be appointed by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM).
However, details (of the second post-mortem) including as to when and where it will be conducted, will only be determined by the court on Monday.
Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor of Plaza Mazalam here on July 16 after being quizzed by Selangor MACC overnight. The Selangor MACC's office is on the 14th floor of the same building.
The family applied to have Beng Hock's remains exhumed following Dr Pornthip's testimony in the inquest into his death that there was an 80 per cent probability that Beng Hock was tortured and strangled.
Dr Khairul Azman Ibrahim and Dr Prashant, who are government pathologists and had conducted the first post-mortem, had told the inquest that it was possible Beng Hock, an aide to a Selangor state executive councillor, had committed suicide.
In Wednesday's proceedings, counsel Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, representing MACC, had drawn the court's attention to the fact that Dr Pornthip, who had volunteered to conduct the second post-mortem, was not qualified under Malaysian law to do so.
This was because her medical qualifications were not from any of the 250 medical universities recognised by the country.
Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who is holding a watching brief for Beng Hock's family, had urged the court to allow Dr Pornthip observe the second post-mortem to enable her to prepare a report on her findings.
"We also urge the court to allow Dr Pornthip testify again in court on her findings," he said, adding that Dr Pornthip would be able to be present for the second post-mortem from Nov 14 onwards.
He also did not object to Dr Khairul Azman and Dr Prashant being present or an independent forensic expert being appointed by the MACC.
Lawyer Tan Hock Chuan, representing the Malaysian government, and lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who is holding a watching brief for the Selangor government, had no objections to the order.
Beng Hock had been quizzed by Selangor MACC over alleged abuse of state funds in the Selangor government.
His remains were buried on July 20 at the Nirwana Memorial Park, Semenyih, Selangor.
-- BERNAMA
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