KOTA KINABALU: Lawyers involved in the inquest into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir say it is crucial to examine the teenager’s mental state at the time of the incident.
Entering the sixth day on Thursday (Sept 11) as the court continues to hear evidence on how she may have fallen and found unconscious on the ground floor of the female dormitory of SMKA Tun Datuk Mustapha in Papar, defence counsel Datuk Ram Singh said forensic pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu had demonstrated in court that Zara Qairina’s head injuries were consistent with a backwards fall into the drain, rather than being struck and thrown.
“Using a mannequin, she showed how the laceration at the back of Zara’s head matched the impact of falling backwards. The theory of her being struck at the back of the head and then thrown down does not fit, because the body would not have landed straight.
“The injuries showed she landed on her feet first, before falling backwards. Even the photographs supported this, with the clothing moving upwards during the fall,” Ram, who is also defending one of the five teenagers charged with bullying, explained.
He added that Dr Hiu was firm in her testimony, stressing her conclusions were based solely on medical expertise and not influenced by external parties.
But beyond physical evidence, Ram said understanding Zara Qairina’s mental state was vital.
“She was only 13, found outside at 3am (on July 16) in a boarding school. We need to know why. Dr Hiu herself said she is not an expert in psychiatric evaluation, that is why we suggested involving a government forensic psychiatrist,” he said.
The Coroner's Court, he added, had taken note of their request, which he believed was crucial.
“It is not about speculation. The court must arrive at factual findings, not guesswork,” said Ram.
Shahlan Jufri, who is the counsel for Zara Qairina’s mother Noraidah Lamat, echoed this, revealing that they have also engaged an independent psychiatrist from Peninsular Malaysia, expected to arrive here next week to profile Zara Qairina.
“This specialist intends to interview her mother, her classmates and her teachers, and to review her diaries and school books that have been tendered in court. The purpose is to build a proper psychological profile of Zara and determine her state of mind,” he said.
Shahlan explained that they had also visited the school earlier in the day, where reconstruction exercises were carried out using mannequins and measurements were taken inside the hostel block.
“We visited Zara Qairina’s dormitory, which houses about 12 students. We identified her bed and locker, and photographs were taken for the inquest. The room itself did not look like it was in use anymore, but those key details were established,” he said.
Shahlan said they are looking forward to the psychiatrist's arrival to assist with the case.
“This expert will be interviewing several individuals connected to Zara Qairina to provide another independent assessment. It is important because there has been a negative narrative from some quarters suggesting that she was unstable. We want proper expert evaluation to challenge that.
“To do a psychological profile properly, you need to examine her background from the beginning up to the point of her death. Only then can we understand her behaviour and mindset. Psychology is one aspect, and there may also be other factors such as psychosis to consider, but it must be done step by step in coordination with the court,” Shahlan added.
He added that as lawyers, they can only present evidence through experts.
“To us, examining Zara Qairina’s mental state is vital, not just important. It could shed light on why she was outside at that hour and what might have led to the fall.
“Ultimately, the coroner’s role is to determine the truth, and for that, we need proper, comprehensive evidence,” he added.
Both lawyers agreed that a psychiatric evaluation is not just important but crucial in order for the inquest to reach a truthful finding.
