David Henderson, specially flown out from England for the trial, said he was a senior aircraftsman at RAF Changi and a member of the RAF Changi Sub-aqua Club when he dived down and found the green flipper in the straits of Pulau Dua on 3 September 1963, a week after Jenny’s disappearance. The boatman Yusuf and a police party were present. He went down twice the day before. Mr Coomaraswamy: My Lord- His Lordship: Just a moment, Mr Seow. Yes, Mr Coomaraswamy? Mr Coomaraswamy: Fully conscious of any possible repercussions that may arise by my standing up so frequently- His Lordship: I am delighted to see the enthusiasm with which you are conducting the defence, Mr Coomaraswamy. Mr Coomaraswamy: I mean, I should be regarded as an irritating counsel by you- His Lordship: You may by your colleagues, but certainly not by myself and my fellow brother judges.
Mr Coomaraswamy went on to complain about the legal technicalities concerning the notice of this evidence.
Henderson continued with his evidence of the second day’s diving, on 3 September 1963. He said he made two dives wearing full equipment, about 11:00 AM. Crown Counseclass="underline" On your first dive did you find anything? Henderson: No. Crown Counseclass="underline" What was the depth you reached on the first dive? Henderson: Forty-five feet. Crown Counseclass="underline" That was at sea bottom? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" For how long were you under? Henderson: Fifty-five minutes. Crown Counseclass="underline" You came up to change your tank? Henderson: Yes, I did. Crown Counseclass="underline" Then you went down again? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" What depth did you reach this time? Henderson: Forty-five feet. Crown Counseclass="underline" Did you find anything? Henderson: I found a green-coloured flipper. Crown Counseclass="underline" I see. Where? Henderson: On the sea-bed. His Lordship: How did you find it? How was it on the sea-bed? Henderson: It was lying on the sea-bed at that particular point- or rather rough rocks, or what-have-you. It was lying beside those rocks. His lordship: Was it in any way covered or was it just quite open to view? Henderson: Quite open to view. His Lordship: Not covered with sand or mud? Henderson: There was a little mud over it, but not very much. His Lordship: Not very much. It was quite plain to the eye was it? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" You handed it subsequently to the police? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" Can you describe the condition of the flipper as you found it that day? Henderson: The heel-strap was severed. The rubber was in good condition. There were no barnacles or growth of any type or other. Crown Counseclass="underline" That means to show that it had been lying there for a long time? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" Did you find any current?
Henderson replied that there was a current, and that visibility was about 12 feet at the bottom on the seabed. There was also an undertow that carried him downwards. He stemmed it with considerable effort but at one point he was carried away about 150 yards.
Later the witness emphasized that a novice diver should never dive alone.
Crown Counseclass="underline" Is this what the Americans call the Buddy System? His Lordship: Let us try and still carry on in the English language, with due respect to any American. Crown Counseclass="underline" You must always dive with another person with you? Henderson: Yes. Crown Counseclass="underline" Would you be able to tell this Court what would be a scuba-diver’s greatest enemy under water? Henderson: Panic. Crown Counseclass="underline" What would happen to a diver who suddenly loses his, one of his, flippers while he is scuba-diving? Henderson: His equilibrium would be upset, his mobility would be impaired, and this may well lead to panic in the case of an inexperienced diver. Crown Counseclass="underline" Have you yourself experienced losing a flipper while scuba-diving? Henderson: I have. Crown Counseclass="underline" Can you tell this Court what happened to you? Henderson: My flipper came off. They were slightly too big for me. One came off, and like I said, equilibrium was upset, mobility was impaired, so I dropped my weight belt and surfaced.
Cross-examined by defence counsel, Henderson said that while there were no barnacles on the flipper when he found it, there were certain types of growth.
Mr Coomaraswamy: Like what? Henderson: I do not know the name. Mr coomaraswamy: How long would the thing have to be under water before barnacles grow? Henderson: I would say round about two to three weeks. Mr Coomaraswamy: Is it not correct that when you found the flipper it was in fact wedged in rocks? Henderson: It was not wedged or surrounded by rocks. Mr Coomaraswamy: What was the nature of the rocks at the place where you found this flipper? Were they high or undulating in between? Henderson: High, very different forms.
Having agreed roughly on the map the place where the flipper was found, defence counsel asked, “Would a thing like a flipper sink to the bottom?”
Henderson: This type would. Mr Coomaraswamy: You spoke of undertow. Henderson: I did. Mr Coomaraswamy: Would there be currents nearest the bed of the sea? Henderson: Yes. Mr Coomaraswamy: Would undertows form? Henderson: Yes, at various times. Mr Coomaraswamy: Would that undertow down move a flipper? Henderson: Not over a rough terrain.
Later, Henderson was asked about fitting on a flipper. He was asked if it were correct to say that the modern tendency is to put the feet first and then the heel. He agreed.
Mr Coomaraswamy: In other words, shoe-fitting? Henderson: Yes. Mr Coomaraswamy: What is the normal way? Henderson: First the foot, the heel and then stretch over the back of the heel. Mr Coomaraswamy: With what? Henderson: With the finger. Mr Coomaraswamy: Would you agree any other way would be difficult? Henderson: I cannot see any other way of doing it. Mr Coomaraswamy: More or less run your finger round the heel from the side? Henderson: Just below the back.
Defence counsel concluded his cross-examination by putting it to him that he did not find the flipper where he said he did. “I am telling the truth,” said Henderson.
Phang Sin Eng, a government chemist gave evidence that he received the green flipper from Inspector Richard Lui on 25 September 1963. He examined it under a microscope and found that the strap had two cuts. The cuts had been made, he said, by a knife, a razor or a pair of scissors.
Crown Counseclass="underline" Is it possible for these cuts to be the result of the strap being cut by coral? Phang Sin Eng: No, I think it is most unlikely. Crown Counseclass="underline" Why do you say that? Phang Sin Eng: For the following reasons. First of all the position of the cuts: one cut is from the top of the strap and the other is from the bottom of the strap. And under microscopic examination there was striation marking in both cases. The cut from the top of the strap has two directions: one direction is vertically down and then continues in another direction at a slight angle indicating two separate and independent actions in producing the cut from the top, one vertically down and one at an angle.
Cross-examined by defence counsel, the witness was asked, “If one were to pull the strap up with one’s fingers and put it over the arm like that (demonstrating) would that pressure be enough to break it?” “I don’t know,” said Phang Sin Eng.
Inspector Evan Yeo stepped into the witness-box on the afternoon of the seventh day of the trial and was questioned about a 61-page statement he took from Sunny Ang on 30 August 1963, three days after Jenny’s disappearance.
William Ang was called for cross-examination by the defence counsel during the morning and was rebuked by the judge for being impertinent. Crown counsel, re-examining, had asked him if Sunny Ang knew anything about cars.
Crown Counseclass="underline" Does he tinker with cars? Does he open up the bonnet and have a look at the car, generally tinkering with the car as a lot of people do? William Ang: He seldom does that. Crown Counseclass="underline" Does he know anything about cars? William Ang: I can’t read his mind. His Lordship: Don’t be impertinent. William Ang: I don’t understand him. His Lordship: It is a perfectly simple question. Try. William Ang: I suppose he knows a little.