Sex toys had Ivana and US couple’s DNA, inquest told
Vinodh Pillai | August 29, 2018
DNA specialist to provide more details next month related to this and her analysis on other items after hours were spent in court today going through sampled evidence.
Dutch model Ivana Smit was found dead on the balcony of a condo unit at CapSquare Residences in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 7. (Instagram pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: The inquest into the death of Ivana Smit last year was today told that DNA samples of the Dutch model and that of an American-Kazakh couple were found on sex toys and a used condom.
All of these and more were shown in the Coroner’s Court here today for chemist and DNA specialist Nor Aidora Saedon to confirm if the items seized by the police and forensics unit were used in her DNA sampling on Dec 12.
Chemist and DNA specialist Nor Aidora Saedon.
This took several hours during this morning’s proceedings, where a good number of sealed and boxed samples were brought to the court for examination by the witness, who is the 19th person to testify.
The items included a peach-coloured dildo used by the trio, at least two other brightly-coloured sex toys, one used condom, nail clippers, several panties, undergarments and other clothes that belonged to Smit.
Deputy public prosecutor N Joy Jothi and SN Nair, the lawyer holding a watching brief for Ivana’s family, were unable to examine Nor today because of this delay, and will only begin questioning the witness on Sept 5.
The couple, Alex Johnson and Luna Almaz, had hosted Smit at their 20th floor condo unit at CapSquare Residence off Jalan Dang Wangi in Kuala Lumpur on the morning the model died on Dec 7.
The duo claim Smit frequently had sex with them in the weeks leading to her death.
Later, Nor said DNA analysis showed there were traces of Smit, Alex and Luna’s DNA in the inner lining of the condom when she tested it against blood samples she had received from the trio.
Today is the 11th day of the inquest.
Smit’s body was found sprawled in the nude on a sixth-floor balcony at CapSquare Residences shortly after 2pm on Dec 7.
She is believed to have fallen from a 20th-floor condo unit belonging to Alex and Luna, who claim to have engaged in sexual relations with Smit the morning of her death.
Police had originally classified the case as sudden death, but it was re-opened this year after pressure from Smit’s family, who claimed that there were elements of foul play and a cover up.
The inquest is to determine how Smit had died and whether there is enough evidence to eventually take the case to trial.
This will be decided by Coroner Mahyon Talib in open court about a month after the inquest officially ends.
The inquest has now been extended with four extra days in September after Nor and another witness scheduled to testify this month informed the court they could not do so owning to work and personal related reasons.
Jothi confirmed to FMT today that the court has agreed to extend the inquest, which was originally only eight-days long, with four extra dates beginning Sept 5 for the four remaining witnesses, including Nurliza and Nor, to testify.
The new dates for the inquest are Sept 19, 24 and 25.
Jothi added it was nothing out of the ordinary to have an inquest go on for several months either.
“Inquests take a lot of time. It’s not easy getting witnesses to testify in the original timeframe we expected (of eight days).
“We’re not postponing or delaying the inquest. It’s just an extension with more dates.
“We return to court next week anyway,” Jothi told FMT when approached in court after today’s proceedings.
Hospital Kuala Lumpur forensic consultant pathologist Dr Nurliza Abdullah, who supervised Smit’s post-mortem last year and was scheduled to testify this week as well, is currently performing the haj pilgrimage in Mecca.
Two more witnesses from the police force will join Nurliza and Nor in taking the stand next month, bringing the number of witnesses testifying in the inquest so far to 22.
The inquest continues next Wednesday.
