Kota kinabalu: The inquest into the death of Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir will commence tomorrow at the Coroner's Court here. The 19-day proceedings, scheduled for September 3 to 4, September 8 to 12, September 17 to 19, and September 22 to 30, will be overseen by Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, who will act as the coroner for the case.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, a total of 70 witnesses, including the pathologist who conducted the post-mortem on the teenager, are expected to testify during the inquest. The proceedings will be led by Deputy Head of Prosecution II Datuk Badius Zaman Ahmad. He will be assisted by a team of deputy public prosecutors comprising Nahra Dollah, Mohd Fairuz Johari, Dana Arabi Wazani, Sofia Sawayan, and Dacia Jane Romanus, who will serve as conducting officers.

Zara Qairina, aged 13, was pronounced dead at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17. She had been admitted to the hospital after being found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4 am on July 16.

The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) announced on August 13 that an inquest would be conducted into her death after reviewing the investigation report submitted by the police. Prior to this, on August 8, the AGC ordered the exhumation of Zara Qairina's remains to allow for a post-mortem examination.