The Coroner's Court in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, today was told that Zara Qairina Mahathir had made a complaint regarding sexual harassment that allegedly occurred while she was sleeping in the dormitory room of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha.
The school's assistant head of discipline, Nurul Syahadah Ibrahim, 38, said the disciplinary unit received the complaint on March 14, about a month after the student registered at the school.
“Yes, Zara lodged a complaint of alleged sexual harassment by a Form Two student while she was sleeping. She claimed that the student had sniffed her private parts. However, our investigation found that the student had only sniffed the blanket she was using before taking it to be washed.
“After recording written statements and interviewing all the students involved, the disciplinary unit concluded that the incident stemmed from a misunderstanding and that the student had no inappropriate intention, acting only out of playfulness.
“I personally asked the student to demonstrate how she sniffed the blanket,” said the 54th witness.
She said this when questioned by lawyer Ram Singh, who is representing one of the five teenagers accused in the Zara bullying case, at the inquest proceedings before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
Asked by Ram whether she believed the demonstration made by the Form Two student, Nurul Syahadah replied, “Yes”.
Ram then asked whether she believed the complaint made by Zara Qairina, and the witness said that the disciplinary unit required additional evidence because Zara Qairina had allegedly been asleep at the time of the incident.
“We needed evidence from her roommates, namely Student A and the Form Two student. At that time, Student A was folding clothes,” he said.
‘Circle 19’
Regarding the claim that a senior known as “Kak M” had once said, “If I touch you, you will bleed,” the witness clarified that the student was not a gangster.
Instead, she said the incident occurred after Zara and Student A had allegedly body-shamed “Kak M’s” younger sister by calling her “chipsmore” because the girl had a mole on her mouth.
Nurul Syahadah also confirmed that the “Circle 19” group still exists at the school, as its members are still enrolled there, although they are prohibited from forming factions.
She agreed that the group had used obscene language towards other students, but said she was unsure whether a police report should be filed over the matter.
At this point, a visibly frustrated Ram said he would lodge a police report on the “Circle 19” group to prevent another death at the school.
He subsequently lodged the report at the Luyang Police Station and urged the authorities to take action against the alleged group and the school.
Zara, 13, was confirmed dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory.
The proceeding continues.
- Bernama
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