PETALING JAYA: Several suspects believed to have bullied Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir, whose death sparked national outrage, will be charged in court, the Attorney-General’s Chambers said.
In a statement, the AGC said the decision to haul these suspects to court was to ensure it did not disrupt the inquest into the teenager’s death.
The AGC’s decision to charge these people comes an hour after Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail told the Dewan Rakyat that the probe into Zara’s death revealed elements of bullying, neglect and sexual harassment.
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');});Saifuddin said these elements were uncovered after recording statements from 195 witnesses, including her hostel mates, adding that the signs of bullying were “clear”.
Zara was found unconscious at 4am on July 16 after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school’s hostel in Papar, Sabah. She died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital the following day.
Last week, Bukit Aman criminal investigation department director M Kumar said that the case, initially classified as sudden death, is now being investigated for possible criminal elements, including bullying. - FMT