CAIRO, Mar 23 (Aswat Masriya) - An investigation is underway into statements made by the forensic authority's spokesman on the reason behind slain activist Shaimaa al-Sabbagh's death, the Justice Ministry said on Monday.

On Saturday, forensic authority spokesman Hisham Abdel Hamid told a talk show on a private satellite channel that the birdshot Sabbagh sustained does not usually lead to death because it was shot at a distance longer than 8 metres.

He said Sabbagh was "too thin", allowing the birdshot to easily penetrate her body, reaching her heart and lungs. "And this is a very rare case," he added. 

The Justice Ministry said in a statement that "necessary measures" will be taken once the investigation into Abdel Hamid's remarks is completed.

Sabbagh, who was a member of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party, was killed while protesting in Downtown Cairo on January 24, one day ahead of the fourth anniversary of the January 2011 uprising.  

The party said she was killed by birdshot and has accused the Interior Ministry of her killing.

Last week, Egypt's top prosecutor said Sabbagh was killed as result of sustaining a birdshot wound and said her killer was identified as a police officer from the Central Security Forces, the police branch that usually handles riots and protests. 

Prosecutors have referred the police officer to trial. He is accused of committing physical assault which led to the death of Sabbagh as well as injuring other protesters.