KOTA KINABALU: Another fall simulation was carried out at SMKA Tun Mustapha’s dormitory on Thursday morning (Sept 11) as part of the inquest into Zara Qairina Mahathir's death.
The lawyer for one of the accused teenagers, Datuk Ram Singh, explained that instead of using bricks, both mannequins were weighted with water to match Zara Qairina’s body weight of 53kg.
The simulation, which began at 9.30am, took three hours to complete.
Approximately 60 people were present, including coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, legal representatives, police, witnesses, forensic pathologist Dr Jessie Hiu, crime scene investigator Insp. Maidon Bernadus and school staff.
“It is true that a mannequin cannot fully replicate human density, force or speed, but it helps show the point of impact,” said Maidon.
He mentioned that the latest demonstration included fire and rescue personnel in harnesses, along with a test regarding the dormitory’s suspended grille, which Dr. Jessie had earlier suggested Zara might have swung on before falling.
Ram said that measurements were taken between the third floor and the location where Zara was found unconscious on July 16, confirming a height of 10 meters.
“Lawyers were permitted to raise any questions or doubts. All possibilities were explored. In any serious crime, the locus in quo is essential,” he told reporters, adding that two top-loader washing machines were also scrutinised during the visit.
The inquest was scheduled to resume at 3pm on Thursday for further questioning.
On August 3, a similar simulation, led by Maidon, was conducted using a mannequin measuring 180cm, about 27cm taller than Zara Qairina, which was weighted with bricks taped around its waist.
The damaged mannequin from that experiment was also brought back to court on Wednesday (Sept 10).
In that exercise, only one mannequin was used to simulate two fall scenarios: one involving a person being “minimally pushed” by four people and another involving a person who fell on their own.
