Zara Qairina Inquest: Two Child Witnesses Scheduled To Testify Tomorrow

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 25 (Bernama) -- The Coroner's Court here has completed hearing the testimony of the third child witness in the inquest proceedings into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, which entered its 14th day today.

The child witness began testifying in camera at 2 pm today before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. The student, accompanied by her mother, finished giving her statement at 4.30 pm today.

The court is scheduled to continue proceedings tomorrow with the testimony from the fourth and fifth child witnesses starting at 9 am.

So far, 11 witnesses, including three children, have testified since proceedings to determine the cause of death of the Form One student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha began on Sept 3.

A total of 25 adult witnesses and another 32 child witnesses are expected to testify in the upcoming sessions of the inquest.

According to the Child Witness Evidence Act 2017, which explicitly prohibits the publication of any information that could reveal the child's identity, media personnel are prohibited from being in the courtroom during closed proceedings to protect the witness.

Zara Qairina, 13, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4 am on July 16.

On Aug 13, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) ordered an inquest to be held after reviewing the police investigation report.

Before that, on Aug 8, the AGC issued an order for Zara Qairina's grave to be exhumed to allow for an autopsy to be performed.

-- BERNAMA