Zara Qairina's clothing crucial evidence in inquest, says expert

KOTA KINABALU: A consultant forensic pathologist told the court that the condition of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir's clothing could provide critical clues about events prior to her death.

Datuk Seri Dr Bhupinder Singh Jeswant Singh, 74, said examination of the clothing would have been very important in the inquest, as its features could reveal details relevant to the investigation.

He also testified that the clothing could indicate how a person fell, noting that in similar cases, the top is often pulled up when the victim is found.

"In this particular case, we could also see whether there were any tears in the clothing… even if there was any altercation or struggle. That would have also shown," he testified before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan on the 64th day of the inquest.

It was reported that the clothes and personal items worn by Zara when she was found unconscious on July 16, 2025, were initially returned to her mother, Noraidah Lamat, by hospital staff on the same day.

Zara was pronounced dead the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here.

These items were later seized by police from a non-governmental organisation on August 5, 2025, following legal representation that they had not been properly secured for forensic investigation.

When examined by lawyer Datuk Ram Singh on the toxicology finding of phenytoin in Zara's body, the 68th witness said he was unsure how the drug had been administered, as no reports were available.

Dr Bhupinder said phenytoin is normally used to treat epilepsy or severe traumatic brain injury.

"Was phenytoin introduced into her body while she was undergoing treatment? Was she being treated for epilepsy?

"I do not know, as we do not have any notes available to determine what was given to her during treatment.

"But the finding of phenytoin does not alter the cause of death. In this particular case, it is just an incidental finding, which we normally encounter during post-mortem examinations."

Earlier when reading his witness statement, he said that the then 13-year-old's fatal injuries were consistent with a fall from height.

Last year, a neurosurgeon and a medical officer from the Emergency and Trauma Department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital testified that no anti-epileptic drugs were prescribed to Zara during their respective shifts.

Ram, who represents one of the students charged in a court case related to Zara, requested before Amir that the coordinating officers obtain admission notes and medical records pertaining to the phenytoin finding.

The inquest will resume tomorrow.