KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 — A total of 70 witnesses, including the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem on Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir, will be called to testify at the inquest into the teenager’s death.
The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said the pathologist is among the key witnesses who will testify to clarify the cause of death.
“The team of conducting officers has also made thorough preparations, including the compilation of documents to be submitted during the inquest proceedings and the handing over of documents to lawyers representing interested parties in the proceedings.
“These inquest proceedings will also involve interested parties and watching briefs as permitted by the Coroner’s Court,” it said in a statement today.
The AGC added that the interested parties include Zara's mother, who is represented by Messrs Hamid & Co, Shahlan Jufri & Co, Messrs Rizwan M Borhan & Co, JP Keruak, as well as Messrs FN Lee & Nasser.
The first child interested party is represented by Messrs. Ram Singh & Co. and Goh & Associates, and the second to fifth child interested parties are represented by Messrs. Azhier Arisin & Jaafar. The Sabah Law Society will hold a watching brief.
“The AGC is committed to ensuring that the inquest proceedings are conducted smoothly so that justice can be upheld, adhering to the principle that justice must not only be done but must also be seen to be done,” it said.
The AGC noted that it is aware of the planned “No Justice, No Merdeka” gathering, said to be taking place in Sabah this weekend over the student’s death, despite the public prosecutor having applied with the Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court to hold an inquest in line with subsection 339(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The inquest has been fixed for September 3 to September 4, September 8 to September 12, September 17 to September 19, and September 22 to September 30.
Zara, 13, died on July 17 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital I in Kota Kinabalu, where she was admitted after being found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel in Papar at 4am the day before.
