THE inquest into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir has concluded after 96 days of proceedings, with the Coroner’s Court set to determine the next steps for submissions before delivering its findings.
Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan fixed Friday at 9am for further directions on submissions after the final deponent, investigating officer Inspector Wong Yew Zhung, completed his testimony on Wednesday.
Amir said the court had concluded hearing all 83 deponents in the inquest, which began on Sept 3, 2025, to establish the cause and circumstances of Zara’s death.
“With that, I believe we have concluded all the deponents in this inquest. I seek your in-depth submissions,” he said.
The court was told that no further deponents would be called on Friday, with proceedings moving to directions on submissions.
Amir also said the grounds of judgment would be delivered in Bahasa Malaysia to make the findings easier for the public to understand.
Over the course of the inquest, the court heard evidence from 83 deponents, including medical specialists, forensic experts, teachers, students, police officers and members of Zara’s family, as it examined the circumstances surrounding her death.
The inquest was convened to establish how Zara died and the circumstances surrounding the incident, including whether any criminal elements were involved.
Zara was found unconscious beneath her school hostel building in Papar at about 4am on July 16, 2025. She died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) the following day.
Her remains were exhumed on Aug 9, 2025, and a post-mortem examination was conducted the following day at QEH’s Forensic Medicine Department.
On Aug 20, 2025, five minors identified by the pseudonyms Students A, B, C, D and E were charged in the Court for Children with insulting Zara. All five pleaded not guilty.
With the conclusion of the testimonies, the inquest has entered its next phase, with proceedings expected to focus on submissions before the coroner delivers his findings.
The team conducting the inquest was led by former Sabah Prosecution Director Nahra Dollah, who is now Melaka Prosecution Director. Other members included Deputy Public Prosecutors (DPPs) Mohd Fairuz Johari, Dana Arabi Wazani, Sofia S Sawayan and Dacia Jane Romanus.
Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, was represented by counsels Shahlan Jufri, Datuk Rizwandean Bukhary M Borhan, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi Md Zain, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Farrah Nasser and Elhanan James.
Her father, Mahathir Mohd Hashim, was represented by counsels Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip and Clarice Vyone Conrad.
Student A was represented by counsels Datuk Ram Singh, Joan Goh and Prem Elmer Ganasan.
Students B, C, D and E were represented by counsels Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah, Mohammed Fareez Mohammed Salleh and Sylvester Kuan.
The Sabah Law Society (SLS) and the Ministry of Education Malaysia were also permitted to observe the proceedings on a watching brief.
