Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

A SOUTH AFRICAN professor yesterday took government pathologist Dr. Ere Seshaiah to task, questioning his autopsy procedure and saying his report that Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer was murdered is inaccurate.

Professor Lorna Jean Martin, the state pathologist for Western Cape in South Africa, told the coroner's inquest into Woolmer's death that Dr. Seshaiah's technique was 'not up to international standards'.

She said, in her opinion, the 58-year-old former England player died from natural causes. Professor Martin testified that Woolmer's diabetic condition, suspect heart and Pakistan's loss to outsiders Ireland at Sabina Park the day before, most likely contributed to his death on March 18.

"My speculation is at some point in the evening Mr. Woolmer got out of bed to vomit, knocked over a chair, and went to the bathroom where he carried on vomiting. This possibly influenced his cardiac event," Professor Martin said.

Expertise sought

Professor Martin's expertise was sought by Jamaican police in May, one month after Dr. Seshaiah's revelation that Woolmer died from asphyxia, caused by manual strangulation, in his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel.

She said before viewing Dr. Seshaiah's report, X-rays and photographs of the Woolmer case, she signed a form giving the go-ahead for him to be cremated in South Africa. She also listed the cause of death as manual strangulation.

"I had no reason to doubt my colleague's findings," she stated.

Professor Martin added that when she was eventually given the data she began questioning the India-born pathologist's analysis. She said there was no evidence to suggest he met a violent death.

"There was no sign of violence except for the overturned chair. Given the deceased's history, the most obvious cause of death would be cardiac-related," she said.

In earlier testimonies, Dr. Nathaniel Cary of Britain's Metropolitan Police and Dr. Michael Pollanen, chief pathologist in Ontario, Canada, also questioned Dr. Seshaiah's procedure. Both surmised that his enlarged heart was a major factor in his death.

In June, Police Commissioner Lucius Thomas said Dr. Seshaiah had erred and gave 'natural causes' as Woolmer's official cause of death.

Florette Skyers, a radiographer at the Kingston Public Hospital, also testified on the sixth day of the inquest. It continues today at the Jamaica Conference Centre.