Zara Inquest Seniors Acted On Their Own Over Thefts Witness

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The Coroner’s Court in Kota Kinabalu was told today that there was a group of senior students who would meet and question students suspected of theft at the hostel where the late Zara Qairina Mahathir last stayed.
Lawyer Azhier Farhan Arisin, who is representing four children in Zara’s bullying case, said the matter was conveyed by a senior student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, Sabah.
Sharing the testimony of the 11th child witness before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan, Azhier said that according to the witness, although she did not join the group of students, her room was often used by them because it was more spacious than other rooms in the hostel.
“According to the witness, throughout her acquaintance with the teenager, she found Zara to be a good person who likes to greet people as well as share food.
“As the witness also recalled, Zara was once called by senior students because of a problem related to a friend. According to the witness, Zara likes to befriend a senior student,” Azhier told reporters after the 21st day of the inquest proceedings, today.
ADSThe lawyer said the witness also said she had met Zara two to three times in the teenager’s room and apologised on behalf of the senior student and persuaded her not to do anything wrong.
Meanwhile, lawyer Rizwandean M Borhan, who represented Zara’s mother, when sharing the same witness’s testimony, said the witness told not only Zara, but the witness also met other junior students to apologise on behalf of the senior students after they were called by the group of students.
Rizwandean said the witness told him she persuaded Zara after being called by the group of senior students because the witness had also experienced and been in the same situation as the teenager, and according to the witness, when she was a junior student, there was also a group of senior students who used to call and meet junior students.
Abusive words, locked in the toilet
Recounting the incident on the night of July 15, Rizwandean said the witness stated that she had heard from other students that Zara was called by a group of senior students on charges of theft around 10 to 11 pm, and according to the witness, she was also told that other junior students had searched Zara’s locker to find the missing item.
“The witness said she went to the front of the room, where Zara was questioned by senior students, because she wanted to borrow shoes.
“The witness said, as she remembered, it was after 11pm because the room lights had been turned off. The witness said that as she passed through the corridor in front of Zara’s room, the witness saw a junior student uttering abusive words.
“According to the witness, she heard the tone of the junior student loud, clear, and in an angry state. The witness also said that she had heard from other students that Zara was locked in the toilet that night. But the witness did not know what time it happened,” Rizwandean said.
Sharing further the witness’ testimony, lawyer Joan Goh, who represents one of the teenagers involved in the Zara bullying case, said that according to the witness, no incident of beating Zara occurred.
Zara, 13, was confirmed dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory at 4am on July 16.
The inquest proceedings will continue tomorrow.
- Bernama

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