KOTA KINABALU: The sixth child witness in the inquest into Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death testified that she observed no physical contact or injury to the student during a dormitory meeting about purse theft allegations.
Counsel Datuk Ram Singh, representing one of the teenagers charged in the bullying case, shared details after today’s court proceedings.
The witness confirmed the meeting occurred on July 15 at approximately 10.20 pm, the night before the Form One student was found unconscious at the hostel grounds.
She reportedly overheard a conversation between Zara Qairina and a senior student regarding the theft allegations but could not discern details due to the distance.
The witness also stated that she saw four more senior students enter the room during this meeting.
She then heard someone speaking in a loud tone, as if scolding Zara Qairina, though she was unsure who was speaking at that moment.
Zara Qairina left the room crying around 11 pm, which was the last time the witness saw her that evening.
The witness further confirmed she heard no altercations between 11 pm and 3 am from July 15 to July 16.
The sixth witness clarified that the term ‘MA’ refers to ‘Mesyuarat Asrama’ or Dormitory Meeting during the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death.
She testified that the meeting between senior students and Zara Qairina on the night of July 15 was not considered an ‘MA’.
Counsel Azhier Farhan Arisin, representing four accused individuals, briefed the press on the fifth witness’s testimony regarding the ‘Circle-19’ group.
The witness confirmed that ‘Circle-19’ was not a gang but rather a group of students collaborating on school activities without involvement in dormitory gangsterism.
Azhier stated the witness clarified that ‘Circle-19’ did not participate in the meeting with Zara Qairina or surround her on July 15. The witness explicitly denied any direct involvement of the group in the deceased’s death when questioned by counsel.
Meanwhile, counsel Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara Qairina’s mother, highlighted the witness’s description of common boarding school practices.
The witness informed the court that senior students frequently scolded or harshly reprimanded junior students as an expected experience.
Shahlan added that the witness described Zara Qairina as cheerful and friendly without signs of mental distress before the incident.
Both witnesses have concluded their testimony in the proceedings before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
The inquest will resume tomorrow for further proceedings into the circumstances surrounding the death.
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 post-mortem on August 8 before announcing the inquest into her death on August 13.– Bernama