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THE Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court today concluded the closed session of testimonies from 35 child witnesses in the inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir
THE young witnesses, who began giving evidence on 22 September before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan under the Child Witness Evidence Act 2007 (Amendment 2024), completed their statements on the 36th day of proceedings.
Throughout the closed session, media personnel were prohibited from entering the courtroom to safeguard the identities of all child witnesses, in line with provisions that forbid publication of information that could reveal their identities.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari, who acted as the inquest officer, confirmed that the final child witness had completed their testimony.
He added that the inquest will resume next Monday, with nine teachers and the principal of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha, Papar, expected to give evidence.
Zara Qairina, 13, was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on 17 July after being found unconscious the previous day at 4 a.m. in a drain near her school dormitory.
On 13 August, the Attorney-General’s Chambers announced that an inquest would be conducted to determine the cause of her death following a police investigation.
Prior to this, on 8 August, the AGC had ordered that Zara Qairina’s grave be exhumed to facilitate a post-mortem examination. - November 12, 2025
