Kota Kinabalu: An Assistant Discipline Unit Chief of SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha told the Coroner’s Court on Thursday that five internal investigations relating to the incident involving Zara Qairina Mahathir were conducted between July and August, but some of the reports were only prepared on Nov 26.
Nurul Shahadah Ibrahim, 38, said the school’s Discipline Unit carried out the investigations on July 16 and 17, and on Aug 4, 5 and 13 this year.
She said the reports for the July 16 and 17 investigations were prepared on the same days, but the reports for the August investigations were only compiled on Nov 26.
When questioned by conducting officer Mohd Fairuz Johari, Nurul said the reports were only prepared much later because they were not aware there was a requirement to do so.
Once the court accepted the documents, they took the initiative to prepare the outstanding reports.
She testified that the July 16 investigation involved preliminary statements, the July 17 probe was a preliminary incident report, while the Aug 4, 5 and 13 investigations related to spot-checks on Zara’s locker and identifying names mentioned in viral audio recordings.
She also said the police were not informed about these internal investigations or the written statements taken from students, and that these statements were not handed over to the police.
Nurul said only the written statements from the five children charged in the Court for Children were given to the police, while the others were withheld as they believed the police possessed the necessary skills and expertise to conduct their investigation.
She said the police took over the case on July 16, but the school continued its own investigations solely for internal records.
The 54th deponent said the internal inquiries involved calling all students from Zara’s dorm, the neighbouring dorm, the five students who last saw Zara, and two students mentioned in the viral audio clips.
All students were instructed to write their statements, which were only discovered following the testimony of the 53rd deponent.
The investigations were carried out at the musolla, with some interviews conducted in the Discipline Unit room.
Nurul said the Discipline Unit informed only the Senior Assistant for Student Affairs (PKHEM) about the five internal investigations and left it to PKHEM to brief the Principal.
She agreed that Zara’s case was serious but said they relied on PKHEM to inform the Principal, as the Principal was occupied with visits from the State Education Department (JPN) and the District Education Office (PPD).
When asked how the Principal could have briefed JPN and PPD if unaware of the investigations, she said she was not sure.
