Kota Kinabalu: The legal team representing the mother of Zara Qairina Mahathir stressed that any premature conclusions regarding testimonies in the ongoing inquest are inappropriate and risk misleading public perception.
In a media statement, Saturday, they noted media coverage and social media discussions surrounding the testimony of 67th deponent, Dr Chua Sze Hung, as well as the psychiatric autopsy report presented in the proceedings, which suggested suicide or self-harm on the part of the deceased.
The team emphasised that the Coroner’s Court is the authority vested with jurisdiction to evaluate all evidence and determine findings based on the entirety of evidence presented throughout the inquest.
“Any testimony from deponents, including experts, as well as submitted reports, form only part of the overall evidence, which has yet to be fully presented and tested before the Court.
“As such any early conclusions drawn from the evidence presented so far are unwarranted,” the team said.
They also clarified that documents referred to the report, including personal notes such as diaries, are not conclusive evidence and remain subject to verification through forensic expert testimony.
“The authenticity, ownership and context of such documents must be determined through a strict evidentiary process in Court,” said the team.
The team further noted that there are still other deponents, including character witnesses relating to Zara, who have yet to testify.
They also indicated that psychiatric expert deponents will be called to assist the Court in assessing the relevant issues more comprehensively and in a balanced manner based on the full body of evidence.
At the same time, the public has been urged to exercise caution when making comments or expressing views in public spaces, including on social media, as there have been instances where such statements have led to legal action, including investigations and prosecutions.
The team stated that some cases, have resulted in convictions with fines and heavy penalties, while others remain under investigation or ongoing proceedings.
The public is therefore reminded to be mindful when commenting, especially on matters currently before the Court, to avoid potential legal implications.
The statement also highlighted that Zara’s mother, Noraidah Lamat, had taken steps to seek justice through the inquest proceedings and is following developments with resilience.
The legal team stressed that speculative, insensitive or unfounded comments are inappropriate and may further burden the family emotionally.
“All parties are urged to respect the ongoing legal process and to remain sensitive to the family of the late Zara during this period,” it said.
The statement wascissued by its team counsels namely Shahlan Jufri, Datuk Datuk Rizwandean M. Borhan, Mohd Syarulnizam Mohd Salleh, Mohd Luqman Syazwan Zabidi, Farrah Nasser and Elhanan James.
