KOTA KINABALU: Lawyers involved in the Zara Qairina Mahathir inquest hope to see a fair outcome based on evidence and testimonies given over the course of a year.
They also hope the public will avoid speculating on the case and allow the legal process to take its course.
Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara Qairina’s mother Noraidah Lamat, said with the inquest completed and awaiting the Coroner Court’s finding over the case on Jan 15, his team still had some matters to tend to in its written submissions, which must be filed by Dec 15.
"We hope the court’s eventual decision will be fair to all parties," he said here on Friday (Oct 16).
He said Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan had asked all parties to assist the court in identifying discrepancies in witness testimonies and evidence, and to provide their views on the visit conducted at the school.
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Shahlan said the coroner also sought feedback and recommendations from all parties on improving future inquest proceedings, including school safety and investigation procedures.
"Our team will review 350 documentary exhibits and over 5,000 pages of notes accumulated over the 96-day inquest before filing submissions," he added.
Datuk Ram Singh, representing one of the girls accused of bullying Zara Qairina, said the inquest finding must reflect all evidence adduced by all the individuals and respective experts in their fields.
Another lawyer representing the other students, Joan Goh, urged the public to avoid speculation and allow the judicial process to take its course following the conclusion of witness statements.
She hoped the evidence presented during the inquest had been addressed comprehensively.
She also hoped there would be no unwarranted accusations against anybody, as this remained "a tragedy for all the children whose lives have been deeply affected".
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"Justice must be guided by evidence and the rule of law, rather than public sentiment or speculation," Goh said.
She stressed the need to protect the rights, welfare and future of the other children involved, urging all parties to respect the legal process and allow them to move forward with their lives.
She stressed that their thoughts were with Zara Qairina's family over this tragic loss.
The 13-year-old died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17 last year, a day after she was found unconscious near a drain at her school hostel.
