KOTA KINABALU, Sept 24 — Lawyers in the inquest into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir have engaged a second team of forensic document experts to scrutinise her handwritten diaries, aiming to verify the materials and shed light on her state of mind before she died.
Lawyer Nizam Salleh, who represents Zara’s mother, said the move was not meant to challenge earlier findings but to provide the court with the “fullest possible picture,” given the significant weight being placed on the diaries as evidence.
The new three-member team includes independent forensic document examiner Tay Eue Kam, who previously testified in a 1MDB case involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The team, which also includes two forensic science experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia, has flown in with a mobile forensic laboratory to conduct a three-day analysis of the documents.
Using their mobile lab, the team is expected to carry out advanced tests, including ink and pen analysis, ultraviolet and infrared light examinations, and other specialised techniques to verify the authenticity and integrity of the writings.
Nizam raised several concerns regarding the documents, which consist of at least three diaries and 15 loose pages.
These issues include the chain of custody of the evidence, torn pages, date discrepancies, and the fact that the diaries were easily accessible to others.
“We want to really look into these aspects… Many of Zara’s classmates knew of her diaries, and her locker was easily accessed.
“We don’t want any doubts,” Nizam told reporters, adding that the entire forensic exercise is being funded by public donations through the “Justice for Zara” campaign.
Building on initial findings
This second round of analysis will build on the initial examination conducted last week by Dr Linthini Gannetion of SD Forensic Document Services.
Her work focused on handwriting comparisons and reconstructing torn pages to establish a sequence, providing a foundation for determining authorship and spotting inconsistencies.
The new forensic report will be submitted to the court once the examinations are completed.
The inquest, now in its 13th day, was ordered by the Attorney-General’s Chambers following intense public pressure and questions raised by Zara’s family.
Zara was found unconscious on the ground floor of her boarding school dormitory in Papar on July 16 and died the following day. Police initially classified the case as sudden death.
