Zara Qairina inquest: Coroner concludes witness phase, to set final directions tomorrow

KOTA KINABALU — The Coroner’s Court concluded the witness phase of the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir on October 15. Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan set Friday for further directions on submissions. No further witnesses would be called on Friday, as the court would sit at 9 am for directions on submissions. The coroner stated that the grounds for the verdict would be delivered in Bahasa Malaysia to ensure the findings are easily understood.

Zara Qairina passed away at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, after being found unconscious near a drain at her school hostel early on July 16. The Attorney General’s Chambers announced on August 13 that an inquest would be conducted into Zara Qairina’s death following a review of the police investigation report. Zara Qairina’s remains were exhumed from the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery, Kampung Mesapol, Sipitang, on August 9, 2025, to allow for a post-mortem examination. The inquest began on September 13, 2025.