Kota Kinabalu: he post-mortem findings of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir will be presented in court if an inquest is held, said family lawyer Shahlan Jufri.
He indicated that the family is likely to request an inquest once police investigations are completed.
He stressed that no VIPs entered the examination room, with only doctors and police officers present during the post-mortem Sunday.
window.googletag = window.googletag || {cmd: []};googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.defineSlot('/22826383987/dailyexpress_inline', [1, 1], 'gpt-passback').addService(googletag.pubads());googletag.enableServices();googletag.display('gpt-passback');});It was a rumor spread by members of the public who acted like journalists waiting outside the Hospital Queen Elizabeth Forensic Department since morning.
The medical team, Shahlan added, expressed surprise at the preserved condition of the body.
The procedure, led by forensic pathology specialist Dr Khairul Anuar Zainun from Hospital Serdang, began at about 11.30am.
The other three were from Queen Elizabeth Hospital including Dr Jessie Hiu.
“The family was briefed on the findings by the doctors immediately afterwards.
“The procedure lasted from 11am to 7pm without breaks for food or water,” he said.
Shahlan expressed gratitude to the forensic team for their dedication, noting they did not once sit down throughout the process. Both old and recent injuries were documented.
The lawyer said the preliminary report could be ready within a week, but the full process could take up to two months.
“We hope to resolve this quickly,” he said.He described the experience as a first for the family, calling it deeply distressing.
“It was not easy for them,” he added.
Zara’s remains were returned immediately to the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery in Sipitang for reburial.
Shahlan and associate Hamid Ismail took turns observing the process, while Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, and her other children waited outside.
“The examination was thorough and could not be rushed,” Hamid said.
He urged the public to refrain from speculation and to avoid circulating unverified material online, citing a TikTok video with more than 30,000 views that falsely claimed to depict Zara’s final moments.
He also denied setting up any crowdfunding campaign, stressing that the legal team was working pro bono, and warned of scammers soliciting donations in the comment sections of social media posts.
The procedure drew an unusually large crowd, including “citizen journalists” dominating reporters covering the case.
Food and drink was distributed by well-wishers who had followed developments online.
Police officers were earlier seen issuing summonses to vehicles parked along roadside dividers, causing congestion similar to weekday traffic.
Zara’s remains had been exhumed in Sipitang on Saturday evening under a court order for a second post-mortem.
The body arrived at Queen Elizabeth Hospital late that night, first undergoing a full body CT scan before being transferred to the forensic department.
Zara died on 17 July in circumstances her family believes are linked to bullying, a case that has sparked public outrage and calls for accountability in Sabah.
