Family may request inquest into death of Zara Qairina - Lawyer

KOTA KINABALU - The lawyer representing the family of the late 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir has indicated that an inquest is likely, depending on the full results of the post-mortem report.

Lawyer Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, said the legal team would meet with the family to decide on the next steps following the post-mortem conducted on Sunday.

“Most likely we will request an inquest, but it also depends on the post-mortem findings. The post-mortem report as of now is not yet complete for presentation.

“However, if we or the family are dissatisfied with the post-mortem report, we can request an inquest. That is the main thing,” he said.

Zara Qairina was reported to have fallen from the third floor of a religious school dormitory building in Papar on July 16, before being pronounced dead the following day at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital.

Shahlan, who spent eight hours in the post-mortem room observing the procedure as the family’s representative, clarified that an inquest would not be held if there is already a suspect who has been arrested and charged in court.

“However, if there is a suspect arrested and charged, then there will be no inquest.

“We have indeed requested in our media statement for the Attorney-General to return the investigation papers and appoint an investigation team from Bukit Aman, but as for that decision, we do not yet know the outcome,” he added.

Addressing claims that Zara’s mother did not request a post-mortem, Shahlan stressed that such a procedure is entirely the responsibility of the authorities and not the family.

“In this post-mortem matter, outside parties cannot blame the mother. ‘Oh, no post-mortem was done, the mother is at fault. Who told her not to do it,’ that cannot be done.

“The post-mortem is solely under the authority of the police. We just do not know what actually happened that day, we do not know,” he said.