KOTA KINABALU: Police recorded statements from 200 witnesses during investigations into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir to complete a sudden death report.
The case's investigating officer, Inspector Wong Yew Zhung, told the Coroner's Court that the witnesses included Zara's family members, neighbours, primary and secondary school friends, teachers, medical officers, police personnel and students at her hostel.
"All the statements were recorded by me with the assistance of police officers from the Papar District Police Headquarters (IPD), Sabah Police Contingent Headquarters and Sipitang IPD," he said in his written statement before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan today.
Wong said the investigation began following a police report lodged by chief hostel warden Azhari Abd Sagap on July 16, 2025 when Zara was found unconscious on the ground floor of her school hostel.
He recorded Azhari's statement at Papar IPD around noon that day, followed by statements from a security guard and hostel students the next day.
Statements from other witnesses, including hostel students and medical officers, were recorded on July 18, 2025, between 9am and 8pm, Wong said.
On the same day, he sought assistance from investigating officers at Sipitang IPD to record an initial statement from Zara's mother, Noraidah Lamat, who was in Sipitang at the time.
Following information provided by Noraidah about several students at the school, police sought the school's assistance to identify them before recording their statements on July 21, 2025.
"According to the students, the last time they saw Zara was around May 2025. They neither witnessed nor knew what had happened before Zara was found unconscious," he said.
Wong, the 83rd witness to testify at the inquest, said further statements were recorded from senior students who purportedly met Zara on the night of July 15, as well as students who helped move her after she was found unconscious near a hostel drain.
Police also recorded statements from students and teachers who discovered notebooks and sheets of paper believed to contain Zara's handwriting.
Wong said witnesses who knew Zara described her as cheerful, active, friendly and talkative, and someone who made friends easily.
Zara also aspired to join the school's religious outreach and spiritual body (Badar).
Zara was found unconscious on the ground floor of her school hostel on July 16, 2025, and was pronounced dead the following day at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Her remains were exhumed on Aug 9, 2025, before a post-mortem examination was conducted the following day at the hospital's Forensic Medicine Department.
On Aug 20, 2025, five minors, identified by the pseudonyms Students A, B, C, D and E, were charged in the Court for Children with insulting Zara. All five pleaded not guilty.
The inquest began on Sept 3, 2025, to establish the cause and circumstances of Zara's death, including whether any criminal elements were involved.
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