KOTA KINABALU: A child witness informed the Coroner’s Court that the late Zara Qairina Mahathir had never screamed or cried before the incident where a senior confronted her over a theft case at the hostel on July 15.
Lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, representing one of the teenagers in the bullying case, stated the witness testified that Zara Qairina appeared distressed after meeting the senior student and was seen lying on the floor crying.
Ram Singh shared that the witness also stated Zara Qairina shouted while denying she had stolen anything.
“The witness said she did not know what transpired when Zara Qairina met the senior student, as she did not go to the room,” he said.
The witness further testified that the senior had never met Zara Qairina before and only did so that night on July 15.
Ram Singh added that the witness stated Zara Qairina had never complained about personal problems, conflicts, or being disturbed in the hostel.
The witness was also unsure whether Zara Qairina had conflicts with other students at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar.
“The witness had never seen Zara Qairina being scolded or disturbed by other students,” Ram Singh said.
The witness also told the court she had never seen anyone touch or act indecently towards Zara in the hostel or at school.
Ram Singh revealed the witness testified that Zara Qairina once asked whether she would feel sad if she jumped from the third floor.
“According to the witness, the incident happened around April 2025 while they were in front of the room and Zara was looking down from the hostel corridor in a gloomy state,” he said.
Meanwhile, lawyer Rizwandean M Borhan, representing Zara Qairina’s mother, shared the testimony of the seventh child witness.
This witness stated that on the night of July 15, Zara Qairina knocked on the door, greeted, and asked permission to enter before meeting a student about the theft case while appearing frightened.
Rizwandean said the witness testified that four other students entered the room and one scolded Zara Qairina loudly while shouting profanities.
“The witness said the students who scolded Zara at that time were fierce, and others in the room did not dare to comfort her while she was crying,” he said.
The witness also stated that Zara’s roommate had searched her locker and found a flag pin belonging to another student, which greatly angered the student.
The witness described Zara Qairina as a cheerful student who liked to talk and greet others kindly with aspirations to join the Da’wah and Spiritual Body.
Zara Qairina, aged 13, was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, a day after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel.
So far, 16 witnesses, including eight children, have testified in the ongoing inquest.
The inquest proceedings will continue next Tuesday. – Bernama
