The Kota Kinabalu Coroner’s Court today maintained the status quo of not allowing media practitioners to cover the inquest proceedings into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.

This involves child witnesses who began giving evidence on Monday.

Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan made this decision after Sabah prosecution director Nahra Dollah informed that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) would not allow the media to be present until all child witnesses finished giving their evidence.

However, Amir Shah said the media could obtain information regarding the proceedings through the lawyers involved after the case was concluded.

This was confirmed by Nahra and lawyers Ram Singh and Shahlan Jufri when met after the inquest proceedings, which entered their 14th day today.

Yesterday, Nahra told the court that they would be receiving instructions from Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar regarding media coverage of the case as the child witnesses began giving their evidence.

He made the statement when Amir Shah asked whether the media could be allowed to cover the proceedings, given the high-profile nature of the case.

The Evidence of Child Witness Act 2017 prohibits the publication of any information that could reveal the identity of a child.

Since Monday, media personnel have not been allowed to enter the courtroom to protect the identity of the child witnesses, and so far, three student witnesses have testified.

A total of 32 more child witnesses are expected to give evidence in upcoming sessions.

So far, eight adult witnesses have also testified in the proceedings, with 25 adult witnesses expected to give evidence in the upcoming session.

Zara, 13, was confirmed dead at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, on July 17 after being found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory in Papar at 4am, July 16.

On Aug 8, the AGC issued an order to exhume Zara’s grave to enable a post-mortem to be conducted, and after reviewing the police investigation report, the AGC on Aug 13 ordered an inquest to be conducted.

- Bernama

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