Seminal fluid can stay in rectum for 72 hours — Specialist

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KUALA LUMPUR: A general surgeon told Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy trial that seminal fluid could stay in the rectum area for up to 72 hours.

Dr Mohd Razali Ibrahim, who was with Kuala Lumpur Hospital, said the duration he gave was based on what he had read concerning cases of sodomy.

When re-examined by Solicitor-General 11 Datuk Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden, who is leading the prosecution team, Dr Mohd Razali said the seminal fluid could stay in the rectum because it was not a straight organ.

The duration also depended on the anal function.

Dr Mohd Razali, who is currently attached to the Putrajaya Hospital, is the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Anwar, who is charged with sodomising Saiful, 25, at Unit 11-5-1 of Desa Damansara Condominium in Jalan Setiakasih, Bukit Damansara, between 3.01pm and 4.30pm on June 26, 2008.

Later, when cross-examined by Anwar’s co-counsel SN Nair, on his opinion of the 72-hour duration, Dr Mohd Razali said it was based on what he had read.

When asked the title of the book, he said he could not remember it.

Earlier, answering defence lead counsel Karpal Singh on Mohd Saiful’s bowel, Dr Mohd Razali said that there were no faeces in Mohd Saiful’s rectum.

Karpal told Dr Mohd Razali that Mohd Saiful had testified in court that he had not passed motion for two days.

Dr Razali again stood by his evidence that the bowel rectum was empty.

The third prosecution witness, HKL forensic pathologist Dr Siew Sheue Feng, when cross-examined by Karpal, said he took down Mohd Saiful’s medical history before he was examined by Dr Mohd Razali.

When Karpal asked him whether he (Dr Siew) was willing to produce Mohd Saiful’s medical history, Dr Siew said he was willing to relate the history to the best of his memory and answer the oral questions in court.

Dr Siew said he took down Mohd Saiful’s medical history based on Mohd Saiful’s complaint that he had been sodomised by a high-profile figure for two months.

To a question from Nair, Dr Siew said that police took photographs during the examination of Mohd Saiful and kept them.

Asked if he prepared the medical report without referring to the photographs, Dr Siew said yes, but added that he saw the photographs before the police kept them.

At Nair’s request, Dr Siew explained how samples were taken and labelled.

On the standard protocol for examining patients in sodomy cases, Dr Siew said that at HKL, a surgeon, an accident and emergency specialist, and a forensic specialist have to be present.

When asked on a formal written protocol, Dr Siew said he was not aware of that.

But, when Nair showed him a written protocol from Hospital Tuanku Ampuan Afzan, Kuantan, Pahang, Dr Siew said he was aware of it  would bring it to court today.

The trial before Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah continued yesterday. — Bernama