Second Child Witness Testifies At Zara Qairina Inquest

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- A student accused in the bullying case involving Zara Qairina Mahathir completed her testimony today at the Coroner’s Court here, in the ongoing inquest into the death of the Form One teenager. 

The student, who was the first child witness called in the inquest proceedings, began giving testimony yesterday and concluded at 3.30 pm.

The court then heard the testimony of a second child witness in the inquest, which entered its 12th day today.

The student, accompanied by her mother, gave testimony in camera before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan at 4 pm and will resume tomorrow.

A total of 35 child witnesses are expected to be called throughout the inquest.

To date, eight adult witnesses have already given evidence in the proceedings, with an additional 25 anticipated to testify in subsequent sessions.

Pursuant to the Evidence of Child Witness Act 2017, which expressly forbids the publication of any details that may identify a minor, media personnel were prohibited from the floor during the in-camera testimony to protect the witness's identity.

Zara Qairina died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was buried at the Tanjung Ubi Muslim cemetery in Sipitang the same day. She was admitted to the hospital a day earlier after being found unconscious near a drain at her school hostel in Papar at 4 am.

On Aug 8, the Attorney-General’s Chambers ordered her remains to be exhumed for a post-mortem, before announcing an inquest into her death on Aug 13. 

-- BERNAMA