Exhumation of Zara Qairina’s body completed

SIPITANG - The exhumation of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir’s body at the Tanjung Ubi Muslim Cemetery, Kampung Mesapol was completed at 7.15 tonight.

Bernama’s check at the cemetery found that the process began around 5.30pm, starting with the recitation of prayers after the arrival of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) forensic team and other relevant parties, at 4.56 pm.

Zara Qairina’s body was removed from the cemetery grounds at 7.38pm and subsequently transported to Queen Elizabeth I Hospital in Kota Kinabalu, approximately 130 kilometres away.

Also present to witness the process were Sabah mufti, Datuk Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar; Papar police chief, Supt Kamaruddin Ambo Sakka; Hamid Ismail; and lawyer, Shahlan Jufri, representing Zara Qairina’s family.

Earlier today, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that the PDRM would exhume Zara Qairina’s body as soon as possible, to complete the investigation into the student’s death, following instructions from the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC), yesterday.

In a statement yesterday, the AGC said that the body of Zara Qairina would be exhumed to allow a post-mortem examination to be conducted.

The AGC added that further investigations by the police were necessary to ensure that all aspects of the case were thoroughly examined.

Zara Qairina, 13, was confirmed dead at Queen Elizabeth I Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, on July 17.

She had been rushed to the hospital after being found unconscious in a drain near the dormitory of a religious school in Papar, at about 4am on July 16. - BERNAMA