Kota Kinabalu: The Coroner’s Court was told that a mother had repeatedly lodged complaints with Chief Warden Azhari Abd Sagap regarding her daughter’s belongings being tampered with, as well as poor living conditions at the SMKA Tun Mustapha hostel.
Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan heard that the mother of “Student A” had lodged her complaints through Telegram messages to Azhari, with screenshots of the conversations tendered in court by counsel Joan Goh.
Among the grievances raised were that her daughter’s locker had been prised open, her sports shoes were used without permission, her phone card taken by seniors, and her iron borrowed and returned broken.
The mother also reported that her daughter’s personal belongings had gone missing and further expressed concern about her daughter’s overall condition at the hostel.
Azhari testified that he had investigated all the complaints but said some could not be substantiated due to lack of proof.
He said there was one complaint by the mother over allegation about Zara and another student and the mother had raised concerns that such gossips might disrupt her daughter’s studies.
According to Azhari who was the eighth deponent in the Zara’s inquest, the matter had been settled as the issues were just misunderstanding. Azhari testified that based on the school’s internal investigation, the allegation was nothing more than a joke among students adding that there was also a One Page Report (OPR) on the matter.
He further explained that the students involved in spreading the remarks were counselled by the school’s counsellor teachers to ensure that the matter did not escalate.
Azhari further testified student A’s mother had sent a message to ask whether Zara’s mother had contacted him in which he replied he never communicated with Zara’s mother after the incident.
“On July 26, student A’s mother texted me via WhatsApp and told me that Zara’s mother had disturbed her daughter through WhatsApp and I told her to inform the matter to the investigating officer.
“A’s mother also told me that all the conversation in WhatsApp she already screenshot,” said Azhari, adding that the mother also informed him that A would extend her school break as her daughter was traumatised with the incident.
Azhari further said on July 28 , A’s mother once again told him that A got sick leave from July 28 until Aug 8 and extended her sick leave from Aug 8 until Aug 18.
On Aug 11, Azhari said A’s mother once again texted him to tell that she would come to the school and take all A’s belongings.
To a question from counsel Joan on whether A moved out from the school because she was traumatised, Azhari said he did not know.
According to Azhari, A’s face did not show that she was traumatised as seen from a picture taken by a security guard in which in the picture she did a “peace” finger sign, adding that he confirmed calling A to see Zara on July 16 while they were waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Azhari said the purpose of him calling A at the time because he wanted to ask something from her after A’s mother texted him but he was unable to ask A, because at that time his emotions were unstable.
He also revealed that A’s mother had met him at the forensics department and asked for permission from him to bring out her daughter as she wanted to make bank card.
Azhari further said that while he was at the Emergency and Trauma Department of Queen Elizabeth Hospital, student A’s mother tried to contact him three times.
“On July 16, A’s mother called me three times but I did not answer because I was at the Emergency Unit.
“She asked why her daughter was at the hospital and I replied that student A was at school,” he said, adding that the question prompted him to instruct that the school’s public phone to be shut down.
He added that based on the mother’s question, there was inaccurate information being spread.
Meanwhile, Azhari further testified that Zara’s mother Noraidah Lamat expressed that “air mata sudah habis (her tears had already run dry) throughout the journey from her home in Sipitang to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, here.
Azhari said when Noraidah arrived at the hospital on the day of the incident, they consoled her to remain patient over the incident that had befallen her daughter.
“When we met Noraidah at the hospital at about 10am on July 16, she appeared calm and was not crying.
“She said, ‘my tears already run dry’ throughout the journey from Sipitang to the hospital,” said Azhari when answering question from counsel Joan.
Azhari further testified that while at the hospital’s Emergency Unit, Noraidah shared about Zara’s cheerful nature, her diligence in writing, and the fact that she kept three diaries, adding that Noraidah also requested for the diaries to be handed over to her.
He told the Coroner, Noraidah also asked several other wardens to surrender the diaries to her.
However, Azhari informed Noraidah that the diaries had been handed over to the police.
According to Azhari, Noraidah also informed him that Zara had written the name of students who were not performing their Solat, in a purple diary. Azhari further said that A was Zara’s best friend as on July 12, A had followed Zara to go back to her house in Sipitang after the Parent and Teachers’ gotong royong at the school on that day.
The inquest will resume on Monday with the underaged deponents starting to testify in camera.
