KUALA LUMPUR: After 100 days of hearing, the Nirmala Bonat trial ended at the Sessions Court yesterday.

Sessions judge Akhtar Tahir fixed Oct 15 for submissions.

Earlier, consultant psychiatrist Dr Nor Hamidah Mohd Salleh, the last witness for the defence, told the court that there were differences between self-inflicted injuries and those caused by another person.

She said self-inflicted injuries commonly occurred on the arms, thighs and face or head.

"Most of the times, it is never the intention of victims of self-inflicted wounds to disfigure themselves," she said during cross examination by deputy public prosecutor Farhan Read.
"They can also inflict bodily injuries but this is not common."

She said it was also rare for women to injure their own breasts.

Dr Nor Hamidah said she saw the photographs of Nirmala's injuries on the body, breasts, thighs and back, and found that they were severe.

When asked if there were any injuries to the victim's arms, the witness said "no".

She, however, admitted that the injuries were consistent with those caused by hot objects such as irons and metal cups.

Dr Nor Hamidah also said that those who suffered from mild mental retardation and depression were more likely to injure themselves.

(In a previous hearing on Aug 12, Alex Ng Wei Siong, a consultant clinical psychologist, had told the court that Nirmala's IQ was below average and that she had mild mental retardation.)

Dr Nor Hamidah was testifying at the trial of Yim Pek Ha, 39, who is charged with three counts of causing grievous hurt to the maid by using an iron and hot water at 22B-25-6, Villa Putera, Jalan Tun Ismail, in January, March and April 2004.

She is also alleged to have injured Nirmala by using a steel cup at the same place at 3pm on May 17, 2004.

During cross examination by counsel Akbardin Abdul Kader yesterday, the witness admitted that in her professional experience, she had seen victims putting hot irons on themselves.

She also said that several details were missing in Nirmala's medical report dated July 26, 2004, prepared by Dr Salina Abdul Aziz of the Kuala Lumpur Hospital.

These details included Nirmala's past history of depression and the results of an IQ test and an electroencephalogram (EEG to determine if she had epilepsy) which the doctor had requested.