KUALA LUMPUR: Police will reopen their investigation into the death of Ivana Esther Robert Smit, a Dutch model who fell from of a condominium here in 2017.
This follows the High Court’s decision today to set aside Smit’s inquest decision of her death as the result of ‘misadventure’, to death by person or persons known or unknown.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah also directed the Attorney General’s Chambers to order the police to investigate the cause of her death.
He said the inquest decision, made by coroner Mahyon Talib, was inconsistent with her findings, particularly involving witness Dutch pathologist Dr Frank Van de Goot.
“The coroner, when delivering her decision, agreed on the findings by the Dutch pathologist that there was a possible quarrel between Smit and her hosts Alex Johnson and Luna Almaz, prior to her death.
“Despite this fact, she returned a verdict of ‘misadventure’,” he said.
Smit was found dead on Dec 7, 2017 due to a fall from height at CapSquare Residences at Jalan Dang Wangi.
On March 8, the Coroner Court ruled the death a ‘misadventure’ as there was no clear evidence of any criminal element, nor involvement of any individual in the case.
In her judgment, Mahyon said that there was a scuffle between the victim, Johnson and Almaz as there were blunt force trauma injuries, shattered glass, and Johnson’s DNA found near the deceased.
However, she said the court could not ascertain what actually happened between them.
Meanwhile, counsel Sankara Nair, who represented Smit’s family, said that they were pleased with the court’s decision.
“I hope the police will investigate Smit’s death under homicide,” he said.
A representative of the Dutch police, Gerald van Heerwaarde, who also presented during the proceedings, said that they will assist their Malaysian counterparts on the investigation.
Smit, who was at the home of Johnson and Almaz, was allegedly partying with the couple before she plunged to her death.
Her naked body was found on a sixth floor balcony at about 10am.
Smit, who had dual Dutch and Belgian citizenship, was the second runner-up in the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014, when she was 15-years-old.