Zara Qairina case: Five teenage girls charged with using abusive words
20 Aug 2025 12:48pm
Security personnel stood guard outside the Kota Kinabalu Court Complex as five underage teenage girls were scheduled to be charged at the Children's Court this morning in connection with the bullying case of student Zara Qairina Mahathir. Photo by Bernama
KOTA KINABALU - Five teenage girls were charged at the Children's Court here today with using abusive words against Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir last month.
The charges against the five were read before Sessions Judge Elsie Primus in closed proceedings.
According to the charge sheet, the five, acting with common intention, allegedly uttered abusive words directed at Zara Qairina, which were heard by the victim and could have caused her distress.
The offence was allegedly committed at Block A-3-6 of the Rabiatul Adawiyah Dormitory at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha Limauan W.D.T 15, Papar, between 10 pm and 11 pm on July 15. Hamid Ismail, the lawyer representing the family of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir, attended the Kota Kinabalu Court today for a mention of the inquest to determine the cause and circumstances of Zara Qairina's death. Photo by Bernama
The charge was framed under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which carries a maximum jail term of one year, or a fine, or both upon conviction.
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