Kota kinabalu: Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar has confirmed that five minors will appear in the Kota Kinabalu Juvenile Court on Wednesday, facing charges related to the bullying of Form One student, Zara Qairina Mahathir. 'Yes, all of those who will be charged are under the age of 18,' he informed Bernama today.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the accused teenagers will be charged under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code, which addresses the use of threatening, abusive, or insulting communication. The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) released a statement indicating that it had reviewed the investigation documents provided by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and decided to proceed with charges based on the evidence at hand.

The AGC emphasized that charging the suspects will not interfere with the inquest proceedings, which are set to take place. Additionally, the ongoing investigation by PDRM, including the inquest, will remain unaffected by these charges. During a session in the Dewan Rakyat, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail noted that the investigation into Zara Qairina's death focused on bullying, neglect, and sexual harassment, with statements taken from 195 witnesses before being submitted to the AGC.

Meanwhile, the Kota Kinabalu Coroner's Court has scheduled the inquest into Zara Qairina's death to begin on September 3. Coroner Azreena Aziz has allocated dates throughout September for the hearings. On August 12, the AGC decided to conduct an inquest to ascertain the cause and circumstances surrounding the death of the student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha, following the review of the investigation report by PDRM.

Zara Qairina, aged 13, passed away at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, after being discovered unconscious in a drain near her school's dormitory on the morning of July 16 in Papar.