KOTA KINABALU: A student accused in the bullying case involving Zara Qairina Mahathir has completed her testimony on Tuesday (Sept 23) at the Coroner’s Court here, while a second child witness began giving her testimony.
The first child witness called in the ongoing inquest into the death of the Form One teenager began giving testimony on Monday (Sept 22).
After the conclusion of the first student’s testimony at 3.30pm on Tuesday, the court proceeded to hear the testimony of a second child witness in the inquest, which has entered its 12th day.
The second child witness, accompanied by her mother, gave testimony in camera before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan at 4pm 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 4am.
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
