Zara's post-mortem begins, lawyer calls on public to avoid speculation

Summary

• Post-mortem on body of schoolgirl Zara Qairina Mahathir, whose remains were exhumed yesterday, has begun.

• Lawyer Hamid Ismail says whether there is a criminal element in the 13-year-old’s death will depend on a complete and thorough probe.

The post-mortem on the body of 13-year-old schoolgirl Zara Qairina Mahathir, whose remains were exhumed yesterday, has commenced at Queen Elizabeth Hospital I in Kota Kinabalu, her family’s lawyers confirmed today.

Representing Zara’s mother, lawyer Hamid Ismail said the procedure began at around 11.40am and was being conducted by two forensic specialists, Dr Jessie Hiu and pathology consultant Dr Khairul Anuar Zainun from Sultan Idris Shah Hospital.

They were assisted by two other personnel in the post-mortem room.

“It is still ongoing and we expect it will be completed today,” Hamid said, adding that the body would later be returned to her burial site in Sipitang for reinterment.

Hamid (above) spoke to reporters shortly after leaving the hospital’s Forensics Department building.

A family representative, identified as Shahlan, is observing the examination on behalf of the family, alongside police photographers and two officers.

Describing the process as “transparent”, Hamid said two CT scans, one taken before the initial burial and another on Saturday, would be sent to a specialist in Peninsular Malaysia for comparison.

The lawyer declined to comment on whether the findings from the post-mortem and CT scans might indicate a criminal element, stressing that it was too early to say.

Hiu, he added, would brief the family on preliminary findings, with a full written report to follow after detailed analysis.

“Whether there is a criminal element or not will depend on the complete, thorough investigation,” Hamid said.

Stop spreading defamatory content

Addressing a separate issue, Hamid dismissed a viral video purportedly showing Zara in distress, saying it was unrelated.

“That is not Zara. I hope netizens will stop spreading defamatory content. The family is already under severe emotional strain,” he said.

Close to 100 people were seen gathered in front of the forensic office of the hospital, waiting anxiously for updates on the post-mortem.

The group was said to have cheered when they saw Khairul’s arrival around 10.55am.

Zara’s death

Zara, a Form One student in Papar, was found unconscious in a drain below her school dormitory on July 16 and was pronounced dead the next day.

Her family believed bullying may be a factor, while police said they are investigating the case from multiple angles.

The post-mortem followed the exhumation of Zara’s body in Sipitang on Saturday evening, carried out under tight police security after a court order was granted as part of renewed investigations.

This came after thousands gathered for vigils across three east coast Sabah towns - Lahad Datu, Tawau and Sandakan - on Aug 8.

Exhumation process

Sipitang magistrate Zuraini Ali Musa previously issued the exhumation order at 2.30pm via a half-hour Zoom hearing held at the Papar district police headquarters.

The application came at the request of the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC), which had reviewed the preliminary police investigation report and determined that further forensic examination was required.

By 3pm, around 100 people, including Zara’s mother, relatives, friends, and acquaintances, had gathered at Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery in Mesapol.

At 5.30pm, forensic officers, assisted by six members of the local mosque council, began digging at the burial site under the supervision of religious officials from the Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department and the State Mufti’s Office to ensure compliance with Islamic burial protocols.

Zara’s parents and other onlookers observed from about 100m away.

The exhumation concluded at 7.15pm after one hour and 45 minutes. Twenty minutes later, journalists were told the body would be taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital I for the post-mortem, scheduled for the following morning.

The police convoy, including a lorry believed to be carrying the body, arrived at the hospital’s Forensic Department at about 11pm, after a nearly four-hour journey covering roughly 150km.

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