Counsellor says pre-incident meeting may have distressed Zara

 

KOTA KINABALU: A counsellor at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha told the Coroner that a meeting with senior students the night before Zara Qairina Mahathir was found unconscious could have caused the teenager emotional distress.

Miswati Lundu said a session on July 15 to question Zara about a theft case may have affected her, and confirmed that a junior had admitted using offensive words that could have worsened Zara’s feelings.

She testified that several seniors appeared emotionally unstable during the school’s internal inquiry, with some crying and expressing guilt over the events that preceded the tragedy.

Miswati said she had warned students not to conduct activities without teachers’ knowledge, adding that some still acted secretly despite wardens carrying out patrols and monitoring duties.

She disagreed that school staff leaked information online and said limiting access to public phones was meant to ensure parents received accurate updates, as the inquest continues on Thursday. - Sabah Daily Express