Kota Kinabalu: Zara Qairina Mahathir’s mother Noraidah Lamat is among the final three witnesses scheduled to testify when the inquest into her daughter’s death resumes in October.
Noraidah, Zara’s stepsister Malianah Mahathir and the investigating officer are scheduled to give evidence before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan from Oct 6 to 23.
The court has set three weeks for the testimonies.
Amir also fixed Oct 5 for a visit to the scene, or locus in quo, at the religious school where Zara was studying. The visit will be attended by all parties involved in the inquest and is scheduled to begin at 10am.
Counsel Shahlan Jufri, who represents Zara’s mother, requested that relevant child witnesses be present during the visit.
“We will try our best to submit the names one by one, but if we need more time, we will do so by Monday,” he said.
Amir told the parties that there would be no open court proceedings after the scene visit, with the inquest scheduled to resume the following day.
So far, about 80 witnesses, including experts, teachers, police officers, students and parents, have testified in the inquest.
Zara, 13, was found beneath her hostel building on July 16, 2025 and died in hospital the following day.
Her remains were exhumed on Aug 9, 2025, and a post-mortem examination was conducted the next day at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
On Aug 20, 2025, five minors, identified as Student A, B, C, D and E, were charged with using insulting words against Zara.
