ZARA INQUEST: INDIVIDUAL WEARING SPORTS ATTIRE WITH WORD 'HANAFI' WAS IN TOILET BEFORE VICTIMN WAS FOUND DEAD

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- A Form One student told the Coroner's Court here that she saw an individual wearing sports attire with the word 'Hanafi' written on it inside in the dormitory toilet around 2.35 am on July 16, several hours before Zara Qairina Mahathir was found dead.

The information was provided by the 22nd child witness, who studies at SMKA Tun Datu Mustaphain Papar, on the 28th day of the inquest proceedings into the death of Zara Qairina before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan today.

Sharing the witness's statement, lawyer Joan Goh, representing a child in the Zara Qairina bullying case, said the witness's testimony was crucial because the time mentioned was the closest to the time of the incident.

As the witness got up to shower around 2.35 am, it being customary to shower early to avoid congestion in the use of the toilets, the witness went to the third-floor toilet.

"The witness pushed the closed door of toilet number one, but the door was pushed back as if someone was leaning against the toilet door as if locking themselves in," Goh told reporters after the proceedings.

According to Goh, the witness did not not recognise the individual’s face, only identified the clothes the individual was wearing and at around 3 am when the witness had almost finished taking a shower, the witness heard someone open the door of bathroom number one before the individual came out,

Meanwhile, Rizwandean M Borhan, representing Zara's mother, stated that witnesses testified that several teachers told the female students in the Musollah that Zara was not bullied but had committed suicide.

“The witness was asked, ‘Did the teacher ever say that Zara's case was not a bullying case but a suicide?’ and the witness answered 'Yes'. The words used by the teacher was 'she can't take it anymore'. That's what this child witness said," he said.

Rizwandean added that the witness also reported having seen other junior students being instructed by senior students to perform various tasks, including ironing clothes and fetching hot water for their use.

“The witness said that MA (Mesyuarat Asrama or group meetings) are usually held in the Musollah room after Maghrib or Isyak prayers. The witness heard senior students use foul language during the MA," he said.

Zara, 13, was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17 after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school’s dormitory at 4 am on July 16.

The inquest continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA