KOTA KINABALU, Sept 17 — The chief warden at Zara Qairina Mahathir’s school told the inquest today that he had initially moved her body because he did not notice any injuries and intended to take her to the hospital.
Azhari Abdul Sagap, 31, said he arrived at the scene at about 3.13am and saw Zara Qairina lying unconscious near a drain, before instructing four students to carry her to his car.
“Only once she was carried did I notice her injury on her left ankle. I also saw blood on the edge of the drain where her head was.
“The intention was to take her to the hospital in my own car but we didn’t because we struggled to carry her body,” he said.
Conducting officer Mohd Fairuz Johari then asked why he had not left her there until medical authorities arrived.
“As I mentioned, I didn’t see any injuries when I arrived. And when I saw the injuries on her leg, then I said, don’t touch there,” Azhari replied.
When asked how far Zara had been moved, Azhari estimated it was about 20 metres.
Azhari further said that he had intended to bring Zara to the hospital himself, but ultimately decided not to do so.
“We didn’t [bring Zara to the hospital] because the students and I struggled to carry her to beside the warden’s house. We didn’t put [her] just anywhere, we placed her somewhere sheltered, and level, and lined it with sarong and we were careful. It was also shielded from the other student’s view,” he said.
Mohd Fairuz asked why Zara was not placed near the sick bay, which was closer, to which Azhari replied that he had intended to do so but “struggled”.
“I was in trauma just from looking at her, and if I put in the sick bay room, they will also face trauma.
“At the time, the ketua pelajar (student leader) was staying there with three other students,” he said.
Azhari is the eight witness in the inquest looking into Zara Qairina’s death.
