KOTA KINABALU: The mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir agreed with the medical expert's explanation at the Coroner's Court here that the bruising on her daughter's back observed while bathing the body was not caused by a blow but rather by blood clotting.
Noraidah Lamat, 46, the 82nd witness in the inquest proceedings, said she was informed of this by a doctor on Aug 10, 2025, after she had voiced concerns that it might have resulted from being struck.
When asked by lawyer Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah whether the bruising was indeed due to blood clotting as explained by the doctor rather than a blow, Noraidah replied: "That is correct, sir."
She also acknowledged that none of the doctors who treated Zara Qairina had ever confirmed to her that there were injuries caused by a blunt object, contrary to claims made in a statement issued by the family's lawyer on Aug 3. 2025.
However, Noraidah explained that the statement was issued following a police report she lodged at the Sipitang district police headquarters, where she requested further investigation into the bruising observed while bathing her daughter's body on July 17, 2025.
She said at the time, the family had not received a clear explanation from investigators on the actual circumstances surrounding Zara Qairina's condition.
Noraidah also told the court that she personally never concluded that her daughter had been struck with a blunt object and had left the matter to the authorities to investigate.
Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after being found unconscious near a drain at her school dormitory in the early hours of the morning. – Bernama
