Inquest: Teen Accused of Theft Days Before Tragic Death, Court He

KOTA KINABALU, El Sky News – A heartbreaking testimony emerged at the Coroner’s Court today regarding the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir. A teacher revealed that the student had been victimized by accusations of theft by her classmates just days before she was found unconscious near her school hostel.

Unproven Accusations

Mohd Sham M. Nasir, 26, a Geography teacher at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha, testified as the 61st witness. He recounted an incident on July 14, 2025, when a student reported losing RM20 in the science laboratory.

Despite a thorough “spot check” of all students’ belongings—including Zara’s—no money was found. However, the witness noted that several students continued to point fingers at Zara, even handing him a slip of paper with her name on it.

“I cautioned the students against making unproven claims without evidence,” Mohd Sham told Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. He added that several students followed him after class to repeat the allegations, despite his warnings.

Security Gaps at the Hostel

The inquest also highlighted potential administrative lapses at the school’s hostel during the period leading up to the tragedy:

• No Warden on Duty: The witness agreed with the Deputy Public Prosecutor that, based on the roster, no warden was assigned to be on duty on the night of July 15, 2025.
• Lack of SOPs: Mohd Sham, who was later appointed as a warden, admitted that he was not provided with formal guidelines or standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding his duties or the conduct of classroom inspections.

The Timeline of the Tragedy

Zara Qairina was found unconscious in a drain near her school hostel at approximately 4:00 AM on July 16, 2025. She passed away the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Due to the suspicious circumstances, the Attorney General’s Chambers ordered her body to be exhumed for a post-mortem in August 2025, subsequently leading to this formal inquest to determine the exact cause of death.

Next Steps

The court has scheduled a locus in quo visit (site visit) to the school hostel next Friday to allow the coroner to examine the scene of the incident firsthand. The inquest will resume next week with further witnesses.( Rahul Rezky )