There were no bruises or lacerations on the body of deceased police detainee Mohd Anuar Sharif, said a doctor when testifying at a civil suit hearing at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Dr Syed Mohd Redha Syed Nasir had confirmed Anuar's death at the Rawang police station more than six years ago.

"From my observation, there were no bruises or lacerations on the body's upper part. I could see his face and body," he said in reply to senior federal counsel Amerjeet Singh.

Later, the doctor maintained this stance when shown photographs of Anuar's body during cross-examination.

"I would say those are bruises," he admitted when asked by counsel P Uthayakumar to identify the marks.

Uthayakumar is representing Anuar's widow Suzana Md Idris ( photo ), 39, who filed the suit against three senior police officers and the government.

The mother-of-two claimed that her 31-year-old husband ( photo ), who was arrested over drug-related charges, was beaten to death in custody.

'I had a good look'

Syed told Uthayakumar that he did not see the bruises when he first saw Anuar after being called to certify his death by chief inspector Mat Nasir Abu Bakar.

"I had a good look at his chest down to the lower area and to the best of my knowledge there were no marks ," added the doctor, who was then attached with the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital.

Anuar was arrested on Aug 10, 1999 and subsequently remanded for 14 days. He was examined at a clinic on the night of Aug 17 but was returned to the Rawang police station lock-up immediately afterwards. He died 13 hours later.

According to the authorities, he died of massive pleural effusion secondary to bronchopneumonia.

Asked by Uthayakumar to determine if the bruises seen in the photos occurred before or after Anuar's death, Syed said he was not a forensic pathologist to make such interpretations.

Earlier, Syed told Justice Kang Hwee Gee that in other circumstances he would first refer to his superiors before leaving the hospital to confirm a death as he was not sure if it was within his job scope.

As the request came from a public servant in need of his assistance, and since it occurred at 4 am, Syed said he opted not to disturb his superiors. He said further that it was the first time he answered such a request and that he would not do so if it came from a member of the public.

The doctor said he could not recall if he had asked the police the reason they had not sent Anuar to the hospital, adding that he "was made to understand that Anuar had (already died) and ... went there only to confirm his death."

"If the patient was still alive, they would have taken him to the hospital if such help was needed," he added.

'You're lying'

In response to Uthayakumar's suggestion that Anuar could have been saved if he was sent to the hospital and treated earlier, Syed said he knew of other 30-year old bronchopneumonia patients who died after spending nine or more days in the hospital.

"Even with treatment, (Anuar) may still have passed away," he said However, he admitted that receiving treatment raised the chances of recovery.

Syed also said Anuar might not have complained of symptoms of bronchopneumonia - such as coughing and chest pains - although these become more pronounced just before death as they may not necessarily have manifested during his detention.

"If the bronchopneumonia was from an infection by a virus that spread very fast, the symptoms will be severe. If the bronchopneumonia was because of a slow-acting virus, the symptoms would be so slow that the patient may dismiss it," he added.

"Whether or not the person suffering from the symptoms of the disease would complain during his detention for the period of nine days to the police would depend on whether the symptoms manifested during his detention.

"This would depend on whether the infecting organism is virulent or non-virulent," he said.

His comments led Uthayakumar to suggest that he was lying.

"I put it to you that you are lying. I put it to you that your statement is not true," said the counsel, to which Syed disagreed.

Suzana is seeking more than RM500,000 in damages from then-Gombak police chief Ishak Hussain, then-Gombak district CID chief Massari Hashim, then-inspector general of police Norian Mai, and the government.

Hearing will resume on April 27.