KUALA LUMPUR: The Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court heard testimony today from a student accused in the bullying case involving Zara Qairina Mahathir during the inquest into the Form One teenager’s death.
The student began her in-camera testimony at 10.00 am before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, concluding at 4.45 pm.
Inquest conducting officer and deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari and the witness’s counsel Datuk Ram Singh confirmed the proceedings.
Media personnel were barred from the courtroom during the testimony to protect the minor’s identity under the Evidence of Child Witness Act 2017.
The student’s testimony was initially scheduled for last Friday but adjourned to today after her witness statement was leaked.
The child witness is scheduled to continue her testimony tomorrow with a total of 35 child witnesses expected in the inquest.
Eight adult witnesses have already testified with an additional 25 anticipated in later sessions.
Zara Qairina died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was buried the same day at Tanjung Ubi Muslim cemetery in Sipitang.
She was admitted to hospital on July 16 after being found unconscious near a drain at her Papar school hostel at 4 am.
The Attorney General’s Chambers ordered her remains exhumed for a post-mortem on August 8 before announcing the inquest into her death on August 13. – Bernama