Kuala lumpur: Several loose sheets examined in connection with the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir showed similarities with handwriting attributed to a declared writer identified as 'Wina', the Coroner's Court heard today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, forensic document examiner Tay Eue Kam stated that the handwriting on loose sheets marked Y9B, Y10A, and Y10B showed similarities with handwriting attributed to the declared writer Wina in an indented impression recovered from page 50i of the olive-green 'Love And Peace' journal marked WK9. Tay revealed this information under questioning by lawyer Joan Goh, who represents one of the teenagers charged in the bullying case involving Zara Qairina.
Tay explained that the indented impression on WK9 page 50i was recovered using the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA). She agreed that it could have originated from a missing or torn page or another page that had previously been placed above page 50. However, Tay informed the court she did not have an actual specimen of Wina's handwriting for comparison.
"I do not have the specimen (actual) writing of Wina per se, but what I had was the writing declared as Wina on page 50i of WK9," Tay told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan during the inquest.
When questioned by Goh about the existence of Wina, Tay responded, "I don't know." She further testified that Y9B, Y10A, and Y10B were grouped together following comparisons involving entries from Y1A to Y15B. Her report indicated differences between these handwritten entries and Zara Qairina's specimen handwriting, supporting the notion that Zara did not write them.
Asked specifically whether Y9B, Y10A, and Y10B were written by Wina, Tay maintained that their handwriting characteristics were similar to those attributed to the declared writer Wina. On the content of Y9B, which concerned Zara Qairina's mother, Tay stated she was not in a position to explain it.
During further questioning, Tay confirmed that her report did not contain a specific comparison chart for Y9B, Y10A, and Y10B, although she asserted that similarities and differences had been analyzed.
Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel at about 4 am. The inquest is scheduled to continue from Sept 7 to 11, with Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist Dr. Chua Sze Hung and Chemistry Department Document Examination Division officer Nurul Atiqah Mohd Noh expected to be recalled. This will be followed by testimony from Zara Qairina's father and stepsister, with the locus in quo inspection set for Oct 5.