Kota Kinabalu: The first child deponent began giving evidence on Monday in the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, which has now entered its 11th day.
The testimony was heard in camera under the Evidence of Child Witness Act 2007 (ECWA) before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
The Act strictly prohibits the publication of any details that could reveal the identity of a child witness, including in the mass media and on electronic platforms.
The ECWA is designed to safeguard the welfare of child witnesses and to make it easier for them to testify.
While their evidence cannot be made public, the Act sets out procedures on how such testimony is to be gathered and presented in court.
For Monday’s proceedings, the child was placed in a separate room, accompanied by a court interpreter and guardian, while all parties followed remotely.
Last Friday, the Coroner had directed that all parties involved, including himself, the conducting officers and those holding watching briefs, were not required to wear formal attire when hearing from child witnesses.
The inquest previously heard that 35 of the 68 scheduled deponents are children, meaning the process is expected to take some time.
To date, eight adult witnesses have testified since the proceedings began on Sept 3, with a further 25 adults expected to take the stand.
The first child deponent will continues to give testimony on Tuesday.
