Inquest Witness Reveals Theft Allegations Against Zara Before Death

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The Coroner’s Court was informed today that rumours had circulated among students at Zara Qairina Mahathir’s school that she had stolen money from a schoolmate before her death.
The sixth witness in the inquest into Zara’s death, a security guard at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha, 65, testified that she had only become aware of the theft rumour following the tragic incident.
The mother of four, who has been working at the school since 2012, was responding to questions from Zara’s family counsel, Shahlan Jufri, on the seventh day of the proceedings.
Shahlan: In relation to the incident involving Zara, did you hear any stories circulating within the school from other children?
Linah: After the incident, I did... children saying that Zara was accused of stealing.
She said that a female student, referred to as “A”, had approached her in the clothes drying area a day before the tragic incident and reported that RM300 in cash and a bank card were missing from her school bag.
Linah: Student A did not specify whom she suspected. It was only after the incident that I heard... apparently, Zara was accused of stealing Student A’s money.
Shahlan: Puan, did Student A approach you regarding this alleged theft?
Linah: She said, “Aunty, my money is missing from my school bag.” I asked why she hadn’t informed the daytime security, and she replied that she had kept quiet about it.
“I then asked how much was missing, and she said RM300 along with a bank card. I also asked why she was carrying such a large amount and advised that she should give it to a teacher for safekeeping. But she did not say who had taken it”.
When asked why only Zara had been accused, Linah replied, “I do not know.”
Linah further testified that Student A had reported the matter to a Form Four student, as all rooms occupied by Form One students on the third floor of the hostel were under the supervision of Form Four students.
She stated that she was unaware of what actions the Form Four students took following the theft allegation, but did not rule out the possibility that they had questioned Zara.
Elaborating further, Linah said the matter was subsequently brought to the attention of a male warden by Zara’s dormitory head, who was also a Form Four student.
Linah confirmed that she had not heard any other stories concerning Zara apart from the theft accusation.
The proceedings before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan will resume at 2.15pm.
Zara died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I, where she had been admitted a day earlier after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel in Papar at 4am.
On Aug 8, the Attorney-General’s Chambers ordered her remains to be exhumed for a post-mortem, before announcing an inquest into her death on Aug 13.
- Bernama

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