Lawyer lodges police report after witness leak traumatises minor in Zara Qairina inquest

Lawyer lodges police report after witness leak traumatises minor in Zara Qairina inquest

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 20 — A lawyer representing one of the student witnesses in the inquest into Zara Qairina Mahathir’s death has lodged a police report over the leak of his client’s personal details on the day she was scheduled to testify.

Datuk Ram Singh said he discovered on Friday morning that the witness’s full name, home address, and identity card number had been circulated on social media and widely shared via WhatsApp.

“The statement of a student witness, which was supposed to be given at the Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court, had been leaked on social media and widely circulated through the WhatsApp application.

“This leak of information has caused fear and emotional distress to the student witness concerned. I personally met the witness and her mother this morning, and they were in a state of trauma and crying as a result of the disclosure,” he said in the report.

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The leak is believed to have violated laws related to the protection of witnesses and children under the Child Act 2001, as well as other provisions concerning the confidentiality of court proceedings.

The report was lodged at the Luyang Police Station yesterday.

Earlier, coroner Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan adjourned proceedings after Ram said his client — a key witness who is one of Zara Qairina’s best friends and is also accused of bullying her — was not feeling up to attending court following news of the leak.

The inquest, examining the circumstances of 13-year-old Zara Qairina’s death, is now in its 10th day with the testimony of the eighth witness. Around 68 witnesses are scheduled to testify, including 35 minors.

Proceedings involving children will be conducted via video link.

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Thirteen-year-old Zara Qairina was discovered unconscious on the ground floor of her dormitory at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar in the early hours of July 16.

Medical experts later confirmed that she died from traumatic brain injury consistent with a fall from height.