Zara Qairina case: Five teens face bullying charges
20 Aug 2025 09:34am
Journalists gather outside the Kota Kinabalu Courts Complex to cover the case of five teenage girls scheduled to be charged at the Juvenile Court today in connection with the bullying of Zara Qairina Mahathir. - Photo by Bernama
KOTA KINABALU - Five teenage girls are scheduled to be charged in the Kota Kinabalu Children's Court this morning in connection with the bullying case of student Zara Qairina Mahathir.
The five minors involved will be charged under Section 507C(1) of the Penal Code, relating to the offence of using or making any threatening, abusive, or insulting words or communication.
All five arrived at the court at 8.25 am in a van escorted by police vehicles.
Earlier, the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) said in a statement that it had examined the investigation papers into Zara Qairina's death referred by the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) and decided to charge several suspects involved based on the available evidence. Security personnel stand guard outside the Kota Kinabalu Courts Complex as five teenage girls are scheduled to be charged at the Juvenile Court today in connection with the bullying of student Zara Qairina Mahathir. - Photo by Bernama
The AGC also said that an inquest proceeding must still be conducted to determine the actual cause of death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina.
The Kota Kinabalu Coroner's Court on Monday had set Sept 3 to begin inquest proceedings to investigate the cause of Zara Qairina's death.
On Aug 12, the AGC decided to proceed with an inquest to determine the cause and reason behind the death of the Form One student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha after reviewing the investigation report submitted by PDRM.
Zara Qairina died at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu on July 17, after being found unconscious in a drain near the school dormitory on the morning of July 16. - BERNAMA
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