Kota kinabalu: The head warden of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha told the Coroner's Court today that Zara Qairina Mahathir had never lodged any complaints about issues she may have faced while living in the school hostel.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Azhari Abd Sagap, 31, who is also Zara Qairina's Arabic teacher, stated that Zara Qairina was residing in the Qurratu Ayun hostel, located on the third floor of Rabiatul Adawiyah Block, with 11 other students, under his supervision. Azhari said, "As her Arabic teacher and as the head warden, I never received any complaints from Zara Qairina regarding any problems she faced in the hostel," while reading from his witness statement.
Recounting the events of July 16, Azhari mentioned receiving a distress call at 3.04 am from the school's security guard, Linah Mansoding @ Jaliha, 65, about an incident involving Zara Qairina. Upon arriving at the hostel building, he found Zara Qairina lying unconscious in a drain, apparently breathing with a snoring-like sound. Five students and Linah were present with him at that moment. Azhari instructed them to move Zara to a flat, sheltered area onto the cement surface.
Azhari observed blood stains on the edge of the drain and injuries on Zara's ankle while she was being moved, leading him to call the emergency number 991 at 3.17 am for medical assistance. After notifying the Assistant Principal for Student Affairs, he went to inform the school principal, Ustazah Shaharoom Hashim, about the incident.
He attempted to contact Zara Qairina's parents but was unable to reach them. Azhari called 991 a second time at 3.47 am. An ambulance arrived a little before 4 am and transported her to the hospital. A police report was also lodged at the Kota Kinabalu District Police Headquarters.
Zara Qairina passed away on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was buried at the Tanjung Ubi Muslim cemetery in Sipitang the same day. On August 8, the Attorney General's Chambers ordered her remains to be exhumed for a post-mortem and announced an inquest into her death on August 13.