Teacher charged over claims on Zara Qairina’s death

Siti Hajar Aflah Sharuddin claims trial to a charge of conducing public mischief, framed under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code.

Schoolteacher Siti Hajar Aflah Sharuddin faces a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both, if convicted of conducing public mischief through remarks made on her TikTok account earlier this month. (Facebook pic)

SEPANG:

 A schoolteacher has claimed trial at the magistrates’ court here to a charge of conducing public mischief through remarks made over the death of Form 1 student Zara Qairina Mahathir.

The charge against Siti Hajar Aflah Sharuddin was framed under Section 505(b) of the Penal Code.

Hajar’s remarks, uploaded on her TikTok account earlier this month, had touched on the purported cause of Zara’s death.

If found guilty, she faces a jail term of up to two years, a fine, or both.

Magistrate Khairatul Animah Jelani set bail at RM4,000 with one surety.

The court also fixed the case for mention on Oct 9.

Deputy public prosecutor Nadia Izhar appeared for the prosecution while Zaiful Bahrin Kamde represented Hajar.

Yesterday, several teenagers were charged in Kota Kinabalu with uttering abusive words against Zara which could have caused her distress.

Zara was found unconscious at 4am on July 16 after allegedly falling from the third floor of her school’s hostel in Papar, Sabah. She died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu the next day. - FMT