Kuala lumpur: A senior student, who first found Zara Qairina Mahathir on the morning of July 16, told the Coroner's Court today that her daily routine involved waking up early to do her laundry and collect water for bathing before preparing for dawn prayers.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the 15th child witness, a student at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar, was testifying on the 24th day of the inquest into Zara Qairina's death before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. A summary of her testimony provided by lawyer Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, who represents Zara Qairina's mother, stated that the witness sets an alarm for 3.00 am daily.
On the morning of the incident, the witness reported hearing a sound like something falling before she got up, though she was unsure of the source as she was still drowsy. Mohd Syarulnizam explained that the witness said students are usually asleep at 3.00 am, although some wake up early. She also mentioned that she did not know Zara Qairina personally and had never spoken to her.
Meanwhile, lawyer Joan Goh, representing one of the students in Zara Qairina's bullying case, noted that the witness testified she woke up early to avoid queuing for the washing machine later. The witness further stated that she saw a student lying unconscious across the drain while going downstairs to the hostel's ground floor to use the washing machine. She received no response when she called out, prompting her to seek help from the hostel security guard, Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha.
In previous testimony, Linah confirmed that the senior student was the first person to find the teenager unconscious on July 16. The student explained she had woken up early to wash clothes.
Goh added that the witness did not know Zara Qairina personally and was unaware of whether the victim had conflicts with other students or was bullied. Lawyer Azhier Farhan Arisin, representing four teenagers in Zara Qairina's bullying case, provided a summary of the 16th child witness's testimony. The witness had no knowledge of any senior student summoning or reprimanding the victim before she was found unconscious.
The witness, a hostel prefect, testified she might not necessarily be informed if a senior student met with a junior. She described a pattern of senior students summoning juniors for reprimands, often using profanities and harsh language. She had advised against this behavior, and an ustazah (female religious teacher) had counselled seniors to communicate respectfully.
The witness revealed previous lapses in diligence by hostel wardens, who failed to conduct dormitory inspections regularly. Only after the incident did wardens begin patrolling every floor. The inquest proceedings will resume on Tuesday, Oct 21.
Zara Qairina, 13, died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she had been admitted a day earlier after being found unconscious across a drain near her school hostel in Papar at 4 am. The AGC ordered her remains exhumed for a post-mortem on Aug 8, before announcing a formal inquest into her death on Aug 13.