Witness: DNA on front part of T-shirt matched with that of 'unknown' one of accused
Published on: Saturday, April 09, 2016
Kuala Lumpur: The High Court here was Friday told that mixed DNA profiles on blood stains found on the front part of a T-shirt submitted for forensics analysis matched with the DNA of an 'unknown' and DNA of an accused in the murder of Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais. Malaysian Chemistry Department DNA Forensics Analyst Nor Aidora Saedon, 43, said the mixed DNA profile found on the front portion of the black T-shirt matched with the DNA obtained from a bone specimen labelled 'unknown' and the DNA of a blood specimen labelled S. Nimalan.In her testimony Thursday, Nor Aidora said the DNA specimen from the bone specimen labelled 'unknown' matched with the DNA samples obtained from Kevin Morais's brothers David Ramesh and Richard Dilaan.
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During examination-in-chief by DPP Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin whether there was contact between DNA 'unknown' and DNA Nimalan, the ninth prosecution witness said there "might have been contact and maybe not".Nor Aidora also told the court that she obtained the DNA samples by scraping the T-shirt."There are three ways to obtain DNA specimens, that is by cutting the area concerned, by taking a swab or using a sharp scraper to scrap whatever is sticking to material evidence."The technique I used on the T-shirt was scraping," she said, adding that it was more effective in obtaining a bigger specimen.
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However, Nor Aidora did not dismiss the possibility that DNA profiles could not be obtained due the decomposition process of a human body which will cause the presence of bacteria besides the factor of humidity and high temperature.She said DNA profiles were also obtained from the left and right armpit areas of the T-shirt submitted as evidence in the case and these matched with DNA of specimens labelled as Nimalan and S. Ravi Chandaran (another accused).
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"When I received the T-shirt, I did DNA profiling on several blood stains marked at the right and left armpit areas and the front part."The DNA from the armpit areas matched with the profiles of two DNA blood specimens labelled as S. Nimalan and S. Ravi Chandaran," she said in her tesitimony before Justice Datuk Azman Abdullah.Replying to a question on the security of case materials, Nor Aidora said.she was confident that the case material received by her were kept securely and not tampered based on the stringent procedures set for the strong room in her office."When we receive case materials from the police, we will register, give a laboratory number, and issue a sticker for each material before placing them in a plastic bag which is heat sealed, signed and kept in a locked strong room," she said. To further questioning from Wan Shaharuddin, the witness explained that DNA would not be obtained if the case materials were tampered with because the DNA present in each case material was unique.Cross-examined by counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan, representing accused Col Dr R. Kunaseegaran on 'Male 1',referring to a mixed DNA profile from two individuals found on blood stains on a wire, Nor Aidora said: "I am able to conclude, there is another individual, I am able to conclude it is a male"."However, I cannot conclude positively whether it (DNA) matches or not with the 11 individual samples (given to her) because of the weakness of 'Male 1' (profile)," she said.For the purpose of DNA analysis, Nor Aidora said she received 11 blood samples from different individuals.Asked by Sivananthan whether there was DNA of Kunaseegaran in any of the case materials so far, Nor Aidora said she did not find any DNA profiles that matched with the DNA profile in blood specimen WB4 labelled Kunaseegaran. Sivananthan: All 11 samples cannot be 'Male 1"?Nor Aidora : YesSivananthan : Who is "Male 1" that's a question, true?Nor Aidora : YesDuring today's proceedings, the third day of the trial, several members of the prosecution team, pressmen and family members of the accused were donning face masks due the stench emanating from the case materials brought to court for purposes of identification.On Jan 27, six men - G. Gunasekaran, 48, R. Dinishwaran, 24, A.K.Thinesh Kumar, 23, M. Vishwanath, 26, S. Nimalan, 23, and Ravi Chandaran, were charged with the murder of Kevin Morais between 7 am and 8 pm, on Sept 4, 2015, between Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul and No 1 Jalan USJ1/6D, Subang Jaya. They face the mandatory death sentence if convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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