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Expert Forensic Examiner Rules Out Suicide in Political Death
August 19, 2010

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A well known pathologist from Thailand said on Wednesday she was certain that a Malaysian political aide who plunged to his death from the offices of the anticorruption watchdog did not commit suicide.

Pornthip Rojanasunand testified at the inquest into the mysterious death of Teoh Beng Hock just days after a purported “suicide note” came to light more than a year after his demise.

Teoh’s body was found in July 2009 beneath the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission tower, where he had been questioned into the late hours of the night as part of a probe into the opposition-led government of the state of Selangor.

His family has insisted that the 30-year-old, who was due to marry his pregnant fiancee the next day, did not kill himself.

Pornhtip said that the absence of fractures to both wrists and one ankle, which would indicate an attempt to break the fall, suggested Teoh may not have been conscious when he plunged from the building.

There were injuries to the neck that she believed could not have been caused by a fall, and which suggested that the flow of oxygen to his brain was interrupted for several minutes before his death.

“In this case, there was no fracture on his wrist. So I cannot confirm he was fully conscious,” she said.

“I stand by my opinion. From the pathological findings, I believe it is not a suicide.”

Teoh’s body was exhumed for a fresh examination last November after Pornthip said that he was likely the victim of homicide.

In a startling development earlier this month, authorities said that an apparent “suicide note” was found inside Teoh’s bag left at the MACC offices, and dismissed criticism for not revealing its existence until now.

The attorney general’s office said the police officer who found the note explained he did not at first realize its significance because it was partly written in Chinese characters.

The Bar Council has called for a Royal Commission of enquiry into the death, saying that “the suppression of evidence, particularly in such a high-profile matter, was disturbing, regardless of the reason.

The anticorruption body has said that on the day he was found dead, Teoh had been questioned until 3:45 a.m. and then chose to sleep in the building after being discharged. He was not suspected of any crime.
 

Agence France-Presse