KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 13 — The Attorney General’s Chambers has today decided to hold an inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.
In a statement, it said the decision was made after reviewing the investigation report submitted by the police yesterday.
“The purpose of this inquest is to determine the cause and circumstances of death, including whether there were any criminal elements involved in Zara Qairina’s death,” it said.
“This process will be conducted by the Coroner’s Court independently and transparently in accordance with the law,” it added.
The inquest will be conducted under subsection 339(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (Act 593).
Earlier today, the Education Ministry said the principal, senior assistant of Student Affairs and all wardens of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha have been temporarily assigned to the Sabah State Education Department pending the investigation into the case of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir.
On Monday, a special nine-member task force from the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was deployed to Sabah to take over the investigation.
Last Friday, the AGC announced that the remains of 13-year-old Zara Qairina needed to be exhumed to enable a post-mortem to be conducted.
The exhumation of the 13-year-old’s body at the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery, Kampung Mesapol was done on Saturday, and subsequently transported to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu.
Zara Qairina was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17.
The student had been taken to the hospital after being found severely injured and unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4am on July 16.
