Five teenage girls were charged at the Children's Court in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday (Aug 20) with using abusive words against Form One student Zara Qairina Mahathir last month.
According to the charge sheet, the five, acting with common intention, allegedly uttered abusive words directed at Zara Qairina, which could have caused her distress.
00:00Five teenagers charged with bullying 13-year-old Zahra Kairina Mahathir pleaded not guilty at the Children's Court in Kota Kinabalu on Wednesday.
00:10Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Aziza Mohamad confirmed that the charge was framed under Section 5, 07C, subsection 1 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, for using abusive words against the victim and could have caused her distress.
00:26The offence was allegedly committed at Block A36 of the Rabiatul Adawiyah dormitory at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tundatu Mustafa Limawan in Papar between 10pm and 11pm on July 15.
00:41If convicted, they face up to one year's imprisonment, a fine or both.
00:45Noor Aziza also confirmed that a gag order was applied for by counsel Datuk Ram Singh, restricting the publication of details of proceedings in line with Section 15 of the Children's Act, 2001.
01:00Ram Singh represented the first accused, while the other four were represented by lawyers Azir Farhan Arisin, Abdul Fikri Jafar, Farah Nazraya Chunli, Fariz Saleh and Sylvester Kwan.
01:12The five lawyers are providing their services on a pro bono basis.
01:16Noor Aziza was assisted by DPPs Nick Haslini Hashim and Deepa Nayar Tevaharan.
01:22Also present was Hamid Ismail, the lawyer representing Zahra Kairina's family, and lawyers from the Sabah Law Society, who were on a watching brief.
01:32Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus, who presided over the proceedings, set September 25th for next mention.
01:38The court granted bail of 5,000 ringgit each with one surety.
01:43Zahra Kairina died at Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17th after being found unconscious in a drain near the school hostel on the morning of July 16th.
01:54Inquest proceedings to ascertain the cause and circumstances behind her death will commence on September 3rd.
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