Zara's inquest to resume next month, says coroner

 By Olivia Miwil

December 5, 2025 @ 5:31pm

Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan said the court would take a month-long break after concluding a two-day examination of the 57th witness. —File pic.

KOTA KINABALU: The inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir will resume next year.

Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan said the court would take a month-long break after concluding a two-day examination of the 57th witness, SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha's former senior assistant (student affairs) Asnie Marjan, today.

Amir said the break was necessary to make way for a two-week trial, from Dec 8 to Dec 19, of five teenagers accused of verbally bullying Zara; the year-end holiday period; and the opening of the legal year on Jan 16, 2026.

He added the break would also allow time to review "thousands of pages" of notes and to ensure the court has access to all relevant documents and exhibits.

"The court hopes there will be no elements of surprise after the one month break, and that proceedings will continue smoothly," he said, referring to the recent disclosure of the school's internal investigation and documents that were not previously shared with the authorities.

Amir said the court had incorporated the new revelations into the proceedings.

"The inquest may be lengthy because of this, but we accept it. In the end, we just want justice."

He said next year's inquest dates are scheduled from Jan 21 to Feb 13, during which two teachers and Zara Qairina's mother, Noraidah Lamat, will be called to testify.

Amir advised those with relevant information to approach the authorities instead of circulating claims on social media.

He issued the reminder following contempt proceedings related to the inquest involving two individuals, including former Sabah chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.

Zara Qairina, 13, was found unconscious at the SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha dormitory around 3am on July 16. She was pronounced dead the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here.

In August, Zara Qairina's family lodged a police report citing suspected injuries on her body, which led to the exhumation and a post-mortem examination.

At a Press conference later, lawyer Shahlan Jufri, who is representing Zara Qairina's family, said his team would submit an application to object or challenge a judicial review application filed by Pembela, a non-governmental organisation, who claimed the ongoing inquest was not conducted in accordance with Sabah's inquest laws.