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A CHILD witness told the Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court today that he received an avocado-shaped keychain and several documents belonging to the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, according to lawyers involved in the ongoing inquest.
The matter was disclosed to the media by lawyer Shahlan Jufri, who represents Zara Qairina’s mother, on the 57th day of the inquest proceedings.
The recalled child witness informed the court that he received the items from another student and not directly from Zara Qairina herself.
“A student handed the items to him (the child witness), but the items originally belonged to Zara Qairina.
However, when asked about a letter described as a ‘private letter’, the student could not recall who gave it to him or when the letter was received,” Shahlan said.
Shahlan added that the child witness also told the court he placed the items in a plastic bag before handing them over to a female religious teacher.
“He intended to retrieve the items, but they were later handed over to the police,” he said.
Meanwhile, Datuk Ram Singh said the child witness also informed the court that he felt saddened by Zara Qairina’s passing.
The inquest, which has completed the testimony of all child witnesses, will resume on Friday, when a teacher is scheduled to take the stand.
Ram, who represents one of the students alleged to be involved in the bullying of Zara Qairina, said the mother of his client is expected to testify on Monday.
“On our part, we will prepare her witness statement to expedite the process,” he said. - January 27, 2026
