Justice for Zara? Malaysia reopens probe into student’s fatal fall

Malaysia’s attorney general has ordered police to reopen the investigation into the death of 13-year-old Zara Qairina Mahathir, as lawyers for her family call for a full postmortem and inquest into her death.

Zara was pronounced dead on July 17, a day after she was found unconscious outside a dormitory building of her Islamic school in Sabah’s Papar district.

Preliminary police findings suggested she fell from the third floor of her school building.

But her family members are unconvinced, believing she may have been a victim of foul play. They have raised questions over the absence of a full postmortem or apparent gaps in evidence collection, including her clothes, by police.

In a case that has gripped Malaysia, allegations of a cover-up to shield high-ranking state officials have since swirled on social media, prompting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to assert that “no one is above the law”.

With public interest in the case surging, attorney general Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar returned the investigation papers to the police on Wednesday.

“There are aspects that need to be further compiled,” Mohd Dusuki said. “I cannot disclose the details at this stage as the investigation is still ongoing, but some matters need to be completed.”