Important evidence: Insp Maidon (left) arriving at the inquest carrying the mannequin, which was wrapped in a brown evidence bag. — Bernama
KOTA KINABALU: Zara Qairina Mahathir was believed to have fallen feet first from the third floor Insp Maidon Bernandus told the Coroner’s Court yesterday. “This was established from witness accounts and initial investigations into the case,” said Insp Maidon from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) D10 of the Sabah Police Headquarters.
This why when investigators dropped a mannequin on Aug 3 to simulate a fall, it had to be feet first, he told the court.
Insp Maidon explained the test simulated two scenarios, a fall without a push and one with a minimal push.
This was to test where and how the mannequin, which measured 180cm in length and made to weigh up to 53kg to mimic Zara Qairina’s weight, would fall, land and sustain injuries.
Based on Insp Maidon’s description of the mannequin’s fall without a push, it seemed that the injuries sustained by the model were similar to that of Zara Qairina’s.
During his testimony, he showed the court the broken mannequin which was used in the simulation. It had two broken calves close to the ankles, an injured head that was dislocated from the torso, among other wounds to the body.
It was previously reported that the major injuries on Zara Qairina’s body were on her head, ankles, wrists, back and pelvis area.
However, the mannequin landed face down while Zara Qairina was found face up.
An earlier forensics hypothesis suggested that Zara Qairina landed feet first while the mannequin landed sideways.
Insp Maidon explained that this is because Zara Qairina was a living being while the mannequin was not.
On its own, the mannequin weighed just around 10kg, but bricks were placed around its waist until it weighed 53kg.
Insp Maidon disagreed with a suggestion from Zara Qairina’s family lawyers that this method could not accurately simulate the girl’s weight as the weight would have been unevenly distributed on the mannequin.
A second simulation will be conducted using a different mannequin, but this will be done by defence counsels representing one of the five teenagers accused of having links to this case.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Zara Qairina’s family will bring in their own biomechanics experts to further determine the accuracy of her fall and circumstances surrounding the incident.
The court was also told that Zara Qairina was believed to have been last seen in front of her hostel washroom on the third floor prior to her fall on July 16.
There was also evidence of footprints on the ground floor where she was later found unconscious, prompting investigators to use these clues in their injury reconstruction or fall simulations.
