KOTA KINABALU, Aug 18 — The Coroner’s Court here has fixed September 3 for the start of the inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir to determine any criminal elements.
Lawyer for the family, Hamid Ismail, said that the inquest will be heard before coroner judge Azreena Aziz and could involve up to 195 witnesses, though the final number will be determined by the Attorney General’s Chambers.
“The mention for the request has been completed smoothly. The inquest is set for September 3 until September 30, 2025,” he told reporters after court proceedings here.
The court fixed the hearings for 3 to 4 September, 8 to 12 September, 17 to 19 September and 22 to 30 September.
Reporters were at the courthouse this morning ahead of the 9am proceedings, with police present to maintain order around the premises.
Last week, the Attorney General’s Chambers decided to hold an inquest into the death of Zara Qairina after reviewing the investigation report submitted by the police.
The inquest will be conducted under subsection 339(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593).
The death of the 13-year-old SMKA Tun Mustapha student in Papar, Sabah after an alleged bullying incident has sparked public outrage nationwide and renewed calls for safer schools.
Zara Qairina was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17 after being found severely injured and unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4am on July 16.
