Inquest hears testimonies from all child deponents, to resume Friday with adult witnesses

KOTA KINABALU (Jan 27): The Coroner’s Court here has completed with hearing the testimonies of the child deponents in the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.

Counsel Shahlan Jufri, who is holding a watching brief for Zara’s mother Noraidah Lamat, said with no further child witnesses, the proceedings will resume this Friday with adult witnesses.

“Next week, we expect to call a few more witnesses and also revisit the scene, but the date will be fixed later,” he said.

During proceedings earlier, Shahlan told the court that one child witness testified that she could not remember who was the third person who had given her a letter allegedly from Zara, titled ‘surat privasi’ (privacy letter).

He said the witness was also unable to recall whether the letter was given to her before or after the incident.

The counsel added that the witness was recalled to the stand to clarify several matters, including the said letter and two notes given by Zara to her via third persons.

Apart from the letter and two notes, Shahlan said the witness had also received a keychain in the shape of an avocado from Zara.

“The witness testified that she could not recall who gave her the notes, but what she could remember was that the notes were handed to her by the same (third) person.

“When asked how she knew the notes were handed to her by the same person, she said it because the items were given to her on a same day,” he said.

Shahlan added that the witness then gathered all the items she received and put them in a white plastic bag.

“The witness then surrendered the white plastic bag containing all the items to Ustazah Syukriah to be kept temporarily, because the witness was planning to take back these items.

“However, all these items were already handed over to the police.”

Zara, 13, was found unconscious under her dormitory building on July 16, 2025 and died the next day at the hospital.

On Aug 20, five minors identified as Students A, B, C, D, and E were charged with using insulting words against Zara, with the case ongoing at the court here.

Also representing Zara’s mother are counsels Rizwandean Bukhari M. Borhan, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Farrah Nasser, and Elhanan James.

Zara’s father Mahathir Mohd Hashim is represented by lawyers Sherzali Herza Asli, Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip, and Clarice Vyone Conrad.

Counsels Datuk Ram Singh, Joan Goh, and Prem Elmer Ganasan are holding a watching brief for Student A, with Azhier Farhan Arisin, Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah, Mohammed Fareez Mohammed Salleh, and Sylyester Kuan for the other four minors.