KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 26 — An Australian DNA expert did not rule out the possibility that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s sperm was found in the latter’s own anus, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II trial heard today.
Dr Brian McDonald said this was because government chemist Dr Seah Lay Hong did not properly separate sperm cells from non-sperm cells on the complainant’s rectal swabs.
“She was guessing there were epithelial cells in the (sperm) fraction. She did not do her test properly,” said Dr McDonald at the High Court here today.
Dr Seah testified earlier this year that Saiful’s DNA profile came from non-sperm extracts found in his high rectal area.
But Dr McDonald today dismissed her assumption, saying: “She has no evidence to support that.”
Dr McDonald, 60, said the DNA profile in the sperm sample from Saiful’s high rectal area was pre-dominantly from “Male Y”, another was pre-dominantly Saiful’s, and the third — from the low rectal area — was inconclusive.
The prosecution has linked “Male Y” to Anwar after a government chemist testified last February that the “Male Y” DNA profile matched that found on a towel given to the Opposition Leader — during his overnight detention in lock-up three years ago — when he was arrested for allegedly sodomising Saiful.
Dr McDonald stressed today that the differential extraction process should be done carefully to ensure two separate samples of sperm cells and non-sperm cells that would prevent ambiguity.
“She (Dr Seah) is guessing she’s got epithelial cells and sperm (cells),” said the consultant molecular geneticist, referring to the former as cells that make up the epithelium, a term used to describe body tissues that protect organs like the skin and the gastrointestinal tract.
“She’s saying person number one goes with this cell type. She has no proof ... that she has two cell types,” added the scientist, who was dressed in a pin-striped suit.
Dr McDonald also criticised Dr Seah yesterday, saying that she would have lost her job if she worked in Australia.
He said Dr Seah’s casual attitude in learning that two containers holding DNA samples were likely mislabelled, but doing nothing about it was a “sackable offence”.
Both containers bore labels that were dated June 26, 2008.
Anwar is charged with sodomising Saiful in a Damansara Heights condominium on the same date.
But the court has been told that Anwar’s former aide was swabbed for test samples of his DNA only after seeing doctors two days later, on June 28, 2008.
The trial resumes on September 19.
