KOTA KINABALU: The Coroner’s Court heard that a student identified only as ‘A’ took more than two weeks of medical leave following the July 16 incident that resulted in the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.
Student A is one of five minors charged in connection with the bullying case involving Zara Qairina.
Hostel head warden Azhari Abd Sagap testified that Student A’s mother sent him two separate medical certificates from a health clinic via WhatsApp.
The eighth witness stated the first medical certificate covered July 28 to August 4 and was sent on July 28, while the second covered August 8 to 18 and was sent on August 7.
Azhari said Student A’s mother sent a WhatsApp message on August 11 stating she would come to the school that week to collect her daughter’s belongings.
He accessed and read the WhatsApp message during examination by Student A’s counsel Joan Goh on the tenth day of the inquest proceedings.
Azhari confirmed he was aware Student A had seen Zara Qairina placed by the side of the warden’s house before the ambulance arrived.
When asked if Student A left school due to trauma, Azhari replied that she did not exhibit signs of trauma.
He further testified that hostel security guard Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha took a photograph of Student A displaying a ‘peace’ sign.
This image was captured when both individuals were requested to attend the school to provide their statements.
Goh questioned whether a photograph alone could demonstrate the absence of trauma.
Azhari responded that Student A even made a ‘peace’ sign in the photograph taken by the security guard.
Azhari had previously told the court that Student A transferred schools several weeks after Zara Qairina was found unconscious.
During today’s proceedings, he testified that Zara Qairina’s mother Noraidah Lamat regarded Student A as her daughter’s close friend.
According to Azhari, Student A had accompanied Zara Qairina back to her home in Sipitang on July 12 after a parent-teacher association event.
The inquest proceedings before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan will resume on Monday.
Zara Qairina died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was buried the same day at Tanjung Ubi Muslim cemetery in Sipitang.
She was admitted to hospital a day earlier after being found unconscious near a drain at her school hostel in Papar at 4 am.
The Attorney General’s Chambers ordered her remains exhumed for a post-mortem on August 8 before announcing an inquest into her death on August 13. – Bernama
