Zara Qairina was found unconscious on the ground floor of her dormitory at SMKA Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar in the early hours of 16 July.
- Students were not allowed to call their parents or go home after Zara’s body was found
- Zara was alleged to have taken RM300 and a bank card from a peer
- Student who had woken early to do laundry heard a loud thump just before Zara’s body was found sprawled on the ground
Security guard Linah Mansoding told the Coroner’s Court today that three students were asked by head warden Ustaz Azhari to help move Zara closer to the exit while waiting for the ambulance, which arrived at 4am. After Zara was taken away, two students were reportedly ordered to clean up her blood.
During questioning by counsel Shahlan Jufri, who represents Zara’s mother, Linah described her injuries:
“Her left leg was badly injured, with the bones jutting out. Most of the blood came from that leg. I also saw blood at the back of her neck.”
Linah confirmed blood was present both where Zara was first found and at the spot where she was later moved.
She also testified that Azhari had asked her to delete a photo she had taken of Zara at the scene.
“The head warden said he was afraid the photo would go viral because the students would often borrow my phone.”
The photo remains a key piece of evidence, being the only image of Zara when she was discovered.
Linah said students were in shock but were not allowed to call their parents or go home without the principal’s permission.
“There was chaos when the kids found out, some got very scared, especially after she was declared dead. Many wanted to call their parents and go home, but the school didn’t allow it. The warden said they didn’t get the principal’s permission because she was visiting Zara’s mother in Sipitang. To calm the kids down, they slept together in the sick bay temporarily.”
She recounted that on 17 July at around 10pm, the mother of a student came to the school gates to take her daughter and a friend home, but was refused after more than an hour of discussion. The students were only allowed to return home on 18 July, the day after Zara was declared dead.
Linah added that the school’s public phones were “turned off” for two days following the incident, though students sometimes borrowed phones from staff when they had no prepaid credit.
The court also heard that Zara had been accused of theft the night before she was found. Linah said students told her that RM300 and a bank card belonging to a peer had gone missing.
“On the night before the incident, one of the students realised her money was missing, some RM300 and her bank card were stolen. At that point, she didn’t name who she thought had taken her money. I also heard Ustaz Rizani asked to see Zara’s dormitory head. Later on, after the incident, I heard that Zara was the one accused of stealing the money.”
When asked how Rizani had learned of the missing money, Linah replied:
“A student complained to one of the seniors. She said Zara had taken her money. The senior then informed the Ustaz.”
She explained that Form Four students served as dormitory leaders, tasked with supervising the younger Form One students, including investigating complaints. Counsel Azhier Farhan, representing one of the five girls charged in a separate bullying case involving Zara, asked if dorm leaders could investigate theft allegations.
Linah responded: “Yes, they can ask if they want. If someone complains about a student about stolen items, they can ask.”
She said she had not heard of Zara being accused in any other theft case.
Meanwhile, the court heard that one student, awake early to do laundry, reported hearing a loud thump shortly before Zara’s body was discovered. The sound came from outside the laundry room, about 15 feet from where Zara was later found.
The student, who was short-sighted and not wearing her glasses, saw someone lying on the ground but could not identify the person. She immediately alerted Linah at around 3am.
“When I went over, I saw part of the victim’s head on the cement and her body on the soil. Blood was coming from the back of her neck. Her clothes were slightly wet from the rain, and her sports shirt had ridden up to her chest. I pulled it down because the school ustaz was approaching,” Linah said.
She added that Zara was wearing her school sports uniform but had no slippers or tudung. Linah attempted to wake her by touching her cheek, but received no response. Blood stains remained visible on the cement.
The inquest continues.