Kovan murder trial: Prosecution closes case, accused to take stand on Fri

Another expert witness affirmed previous testimony that the injuries on Iskandar Rahmat's left hand were not due to a bite mark, as the prosecution closed its case in the trial of the former cop for a gruesome double slaying in Kovan.

Iskandar, who will take the stand on Friday morning in his defense, had claimed that car workshop owner Tan Boon Sin, 67, attacked him with a knife and bit him during the fatal struggle. The 36-year-old is accused of murdering Tan and his son Chee Heong, 42, on 10 Jul, 2013.

Yesterday (27 Oct), forensic odontologist Dr Tan Peng Hui testified that the injuries on Iskandar's left hand were inconsistent with a human bite mark and lacked individual tooth marks. This was in contradiction to Dr Lim Hock Hin's medical report, which noted a bite mark based on Iskandar's comments. Like Tan, Lim, who was attached to the Healthway Medical Group at the time, also examined Iskandar's left hand on 13 July, 2013.

But Lim, who now works at Clariancy Aesthetics Clinic, affirmed Tan's testimony. "Dr Tan is a very well known forensic dentist. He has his own view on where the marks originated from, and I agree with him," said Lim, who added that he has no expertise in forensic dentistry.

Speaking on the fifth day of the trial, Lim said that he had noted a number of injuries on Iskandar's hands, which he estimated were two to three days old. One was a mark over the left hypothenar eminence, measuring 2.0cm by 2.0cm. The 16th witness for the prosecution added, "I saw...a mark over the palma aspect of the left thumb, and on probing the accused, the accused told me that it was a human bite mark.

I recognised it as a mark. But because I was told it was a bite mark, I put it (in the report) as a human bite mark.”

Under cross examination from defence lawyer Shashi Nathan, Lim was asked if it was his practice to note his patients' comments in his reports. Lim responded, "For me, if I see something, I note it down. And definitely, I will probe further as to how he got the injury. And if I am told something, I will put it down."

Meanwhile, famed US forensic scientist Henry Chang-Yu Lee will no longer be testifying, due to the limited number of issues between the prosecution and the defence, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Lau Wing Yum. The statements of another 85 witnesses were admitted without their taking the stand, as the defence is not disputing their testimony.

Speaking to reporters after the trial had adjourned, Nathan added, "We had originally intended to call Iskandar's mother and sister as character witnesses, but I think it is more important to have his defence." Iskandar will be the only witness for the defence. His family has yet to attend the trial.

The defence team also reserved the right to cross examine psychiatrist Jerome Goh of the Instutute of Mental Health, who had earlier examined Iskandar.

The trial resumes Friday morning.

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• Kovan murder trial: Accused went for pilgrimage in Mecca despite debts

• Kovan double murder victims suffered multiple stabbings on neck, chest and face