KOTA KINABALU: A child deponent told the Coroner’s Court that the night before Zara Qairina Mahathir was found unconscious at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha hostel was “frightening.” Counsel Shahlan Jufri said the student, who stayed in Zara’s dorm, described a tense atmosphere as senior students questioned Zara over a missing wallet, a ‘Jalur Gemilang’ pin, and a note expressing her intention to become a Badar.
The deponent reported abusive language from seniors, including insults such as “stupid,” “damn,” and “pig,” and said Zara remained seated with her head lowered during the incidents, which lasted 10–30 minutes each.
The inquest will continue on Monday.
