Kota Kinabalu: The Coroner’s Court will deliver its verdict in the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir on Jan 15, 2027, following the conclusion of 96 days of proceedings.
Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan fixed the date on Friday after consulting all interested parties on the remaining directions concerning submissions and exhibits.
The parties must submit their written submissions by Dec 15 this year, with Jan 8, 2027, set for clarification of the submissions. The coroner also confirmed that the verdict would be delivered in Bahasa Melayu.
During the proceedings, Amir Shah highlighted several key issues he wanted the parties to address to assist him in reaching his decision.
These included how the court should assess contradictory testimony, particularly where child witnesses were involved, as well as observations from the two site visits conducted during the inquest.
He also invited the parties to offer views on the broader circumstances surrounding the case, including school and hostel safety, the investigation process and the conduct of the inquest, as well as possible improvements by the relevant authorities.
“Given all the facts surrounding this case, apart from the evidence, you may give your opinion, especially on the school or school hostel, the investigation process or the proceedings of the inquest itself. If there is any system or process that can be improved by the relevant authorities,” he said.
Amir Shah also suggested that the parties address the need to expedite the enactment of a dedicated Coroners Act, noting that inquests currently rely on provisions under the Criminal Procedure Code.
He said a more comprehensive legal framework could better define the inquest process and the duties of coroners.
School safety measures, including safe-school guidelines and the appointment of experienced hostel wardens, were also among the issues he suggested could be addressed in the submissions.
The court was informed that the notes of proceedings comprised more than 5,000 pages, alongside 349 exhibits, which the parties would need to review.
The proceedings concluded on Wednesday (Oct 14), after 96 days of hearings that began on Sept 3, 2025, to establish the cause and circumstances of Zara’s death.
The inquest heard evidence from 83 witnesses, including medical specialists, forensic experts, teachers, students, police officers and members of Zara’s family.
Zara was found unconscious beneath her school hostel building in Papar at about 4am on July 16, 2025. She died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital the following day.
Her remains were exhumed on Aug 9, 2025, and a post-mortem examination was conducted at the hospital’s Forensic Medicine Department on Aug 10.
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.
The conducting officer team was led by former Sabah Prosecution Director Nahra Dollah, who is now Melaka Prosecution Director, alongside Deputy Public Prosecutors Mohd Fairuz Johari, Dana Arabi Wazani, Sofia S Sawayan and Dacia Jane Romanus.
Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, was represented by 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 Sherzali Asli, Nurul Rafeeqa Afdul Mutolip and Clarice Vyone Conrad.
Student A was represented by Datuk Ram Singh, Joan Goh and Prem Elmer Ganasan, while Students B, C, D and E were represented by Abdul Fikry Jaafar Abdullah, Mohammed Fareez Mohammed Salleh and Sylvester Kuan.
The Sabah Law Society and the Ministry of Education Malaysia were also permitted to observe the proceedings on a watching brief.
