Kuala lumpur: The sixth child witness in the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir told the Coroner’s Court that she did not observe any physical contact or injury to the student during a dormitory meeting convened over purse theft allegations. Following today’s proceedings, counsel for one of the teenagers charged in Zara Qairina’s bullying case, Datuk Ram Singh, shared that the witness confirmed that the meeting took place on July 15 at approximately 10.20 pm, the night before the Form One student was found unconscious at the hostel grounds.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the witness overheard a conversation concerning the theft allegations between Zara Qairina and a senior student, but it was not clear due to their distance, he said. “The witness also stated that she saw four more senior students enter the room. After that, she heard someone speaking in a loud tone, as if scolding Zara Qairina, but the witness was unsure who was speaking at that time.
‘Around 11 pm, Zara Qairina left the room crying. This was the last time the witness saw her that evening,’ said Ram Singh, adding that the witness also confirmed she did not hear any altercations between 11 pm and 3 am from July 15 to 16.
The sixth witness also provided clarification on the term ‘MA,’ testifying that it refers to ‘Mesyuarat Asrama’ (Dormitory Meeting); however, she said the meeting between the senior students and Zara Qairina on the night of July 15 was not an ‘MA’.
Meanwhile, counsel Azhier Farhan Arisin, who represents four of the accused, briefed the press on the testimony of the fifth witness, another schoolmate, who confirmed that the group ‘Circle-19’ was not a gang. He said the witness described ‘Circle-19’ as a group of students who collaborated on school activities and were not involved in dormitory gangsterism.
“The witness further stated that the ‘Circle-19’ group was not involved in the meeting with Zara Qairina and did not participate in surrounding her on the night of July 15. I also asked whether the group was directly involved in the deceased’s death, to which the witness answered ‘no’,” said Azhier.
Meanwhile, counsel Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara Qairina’s mother, added that the witness informed the court that it was a common practice among the boarding students for seniors to scold or harshly reprimand others. ‘According to the witness, junior students are expected to undergo such experiences because the seniors themselves had gone through it,’ he said, adding that the witness also described Zara Qairina as a cheerful and friendly individual who did not exhibit any signs of mental distress or emotional pressure before the incident.
Both witnesses have concluded their testimony, and the proceedings before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan will resume tomorrow. 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 4 am.
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.