Coroner: Fireman Adib's Death Was A Criminal Act By 2 To 3 Individuals
It wasn't an accident.
By Sadho Ram — 27 Sep 2019, 12:08 PM
Earlier today, 27 September, the Shah Alam Coroner's Court ruled that firefighter Muhammad Adib Mohd Kassim's death was a criminal act that was caused by two to three unidentified persons
In delivering the judgement, Coroner Rofiah Mohamad said that the blunt chest trauma sustained by Adib was not self-inflicted or an accident.
According to her, it was caused by two to three unidentified persons who pulled Adib out of the fire department's emergency medical rescue services (EMRS) van, hitting him and dragging him.
Coroner judge Rofiah Mohamad while reading out her judgement after 41 days of inquest proceedings also ruled that the criminal act was the result of omission on the part of the authorities, who failed to act at the time of the incident, reported Malaysiakini.
I am also of the view that the police and the FRU had failed to control the riot and this had contributed to Adib's death.
According to Coroner Rofiah, Adib would not have died had the police taken the necessary action in time, thus preventing the fire from starting in the first place.
Coroner Rufiah ruled that evidence clearly showed there had been several fire incidents during the riot before Adib was involved
However, two troops of the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) with hundreds of personnel only watched the rioters attack the firefighters without doing anything.
"It was very unfortunate when two troops of FRU with hundreds of personnel and seven various types of vehicles, including water cannons, only watched the rioters attack the firefighters without doing anything," the Shah Alam Coroner's Court said.
"They were only standing by with their weapons because they didn't receive any orders to act, despite the tense situation."
The Coroner's Court has now left it to the Attorney-General and the police to carry out investigations and to press charges
Meanwhile, Adib's older brother, Muhammad Asyraf, expressed that the family is satisfied with the inquest's verdict today.
"For now, we will not be pursuing any civil suits. Even if we did, who do we sue?" he said.
Malaysiakini also reported Adib's fiancee Nurul Najihah posting two status updates on her Facebook account to express her gratitude.
