KOTA KINABALU: Two teachers from SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha testified on Monday as the first witnesses in the trial of five teenagers accused of using insulting words towards Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
The case, held before Sessions Court Judge Marlina Ibrahim, proceeded under a gag order imposed pursuant to Section 15 of the Child Act.
Court Registrar Cindy Mc Juce Balitus said the first witness was an academic teacher and the second a guidance and counselling teacher, with cross-examination of the latter scheduled to continue on Tuesday.
The five teenagers, who pleaded not guilty on Aug 20, are accused of uttering words between 10pm and 11pm on July 15 that were heard by Zara and allegedly caused her distress.
They were jointly charged under Section 507C(1) read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, and are represented by separate defence teams, while the Sabah Law Society held a watching brief for the proceedings.
