KOTA KINABALU – Lawyers representing five minors charged in connection with the bullying case of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir have been admitted as interested parties in the inquest into her death.
The ruling was delivered today by Coroner and Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, who said all parties’ interests needed to be safeguarded.
“The matter was objected to by the Sabah Law Society and the legal team for Zara Qairina’s mother. The conducting officer did not raise any objections.
“Having listened to the parties’ submissions, I must say that all interests must be protected. Therefore, I declare the lawyers for the minors to be interested persons in this inquest,” he said, Bernama reported.
The matter came before Judge Amir Shah after High Court Judge Datuk Duncan Sikodol yesterday set aside an earlier decision by Coroner Azreena Aziz, who had initially allowed the lawyers to take part.
Justice Duncan said the applications could be renewed before the new presiding coroner, following Azreena’s recusal from the case.
Azreena, who also serves as Sabah State Court Director, stepped aside on the grounds that she resides in Papar, where Zara Qairina’s school is located. She stressed that she was not personally familiar with the individuals allegedly involved.
Following his decision today, Judge Amir Shah fixed September 11 for a visit to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, the site of the incident.
The inquest resumes this afternoon at 2pm with testimony from Dr Jessie Hiu, one of the four forensic experts who conducted the post-mortem on the 13-year-old on August 10.
Zara Qairina was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at about 4am on July 16. She was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu but was pronounced dead the following day.
The Attorney General’s Chambers announced on August 13 that an inquest would be held into her death after reviewing the police investigation. Earlier, on 8 August, the AGC ordered the exhumation of her remains to allow for a post-mortem examination. — September 3, 2025