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THE inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir has entered its twelfth day, with a second student witness expected to take the stand later this afternoon.
However, according to Joan Goh, counsel for the first student witness, the next individual scheduled to testify is not among the five students previously accused in connection with the case.
“If proceedings go smoothly, the second child witness may be called to give evidence later this afternoon,” she told reporters outside the courthouse on Tuesday.
Goh also provided an update on the testimony of the primary witness, referred to as Student A, who had completed two days of questioning.
Much of the testimony focused on events that took place on 12 July, when Student A stayed overnight at Zara’s home, as well as on broader issues faced by the deceased at school.
“Our line of questioning concentrated on the period after 12 July, as our client was a close friend of the deceased. The witness gave detailed testimony on what occurred that night, in addition to experiences related to bullying at school,” Goh explained.
Despite being questioned by multiple legal teams, the witness remained composed and consistent throughout the proceedings.
“There were two to three groups of lawyers examining the witness from different angles, but the answers provided were consistent. This shows that the witness’s account was very clear,” she added.
Goh noted that the afternoon session would proceed at a slower pace as the witness was still recovering from fatigue after nearly two full days of giving evidence.
Thirteen-year-old Zara Qairina was found unconscious at her school early on 16 July and later died at Hospital Queen Elizabeth. A post-mortem revealed that her death was caused by severe traumatic brain injury, compounded by hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). - September 23, 2025
