KOTA KINABALU: The Coroner’s Court heard that one of the five students accused in the bullying case of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir transferred to another school just weeks after the victim was found in a drain on July 16.
Head Warden of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Azhari Abd Sagap, testified that the student referred to as Student A no longer attends the school while the other four remain enrolled.
“Student A transferred to another school a few weeks after the July 16 incident,” he said while giving evidence as the eighth witness on the ninth day of the inquest proceedings before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
When questioned by lawyer Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara Qairina’s mother, Azhari said he did not know the reason for the transfer or how approval was given since it was not his area of responsibility.
Shahlan highlighted that the Ministry of Education had imposed a freeze on student transfers following Zara Qairina’s death and questioned how Student A was nevertheless able to move to another school.
“According to my understanding, to transfer schools, we must include a reason for wanting to do so,” Shahlan stated during proceedings.
Azhari confirmed he did not know the reason for Student A’s transfer or the approval process timeline.
The witness also said he was unsure about the transfer process and did not know the period for the application to be approved.
The inquest proceedings will continue at a later date.
Zara Qairina, 13, died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, one day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at approximately 4 am.
The Attorney General’s Chambers ordered an inquest on August 13 after reviewing the police investigation report.
Before that, on August 8, the AGC issued an order to exhume Zara Qairina’s remains to allow for a post-mortem examination. – Bernama
