00:00The Kotakinabalu High Court has overturned a coroner's decision allowing lawyers representing
00:08five teenagers accused of bullying Zahra Kairina Mahathir to be admitted as parties of interest
00:13in the inquest into the Form 1 student's death. However, the court ruled that the application
00:19could be resubmitted before the new coroner presiding over the case.
00:24Justice Duncan C. Codol explained that the coroner who had previously allowed the lawyers
00:29for the five teenagers to participate in the inquest had already recused herself on grounds
00:34of a potential conflict of interest. C. Codol said it was not appropriate for her to make
00:39substantive rulings on matters that should rightfully be decided by her successor and that
00:44doing so could undermine the principle of impartiality. Last Thursday, Sabah Court Director Azrina Aziz,
00:52acting as coroner, ruled that the inquest would proceed as scheduled under the new coroner
00:57sessions court judge, Amir Shah Amir Hassan. She also allowed the application admitting the
01:02lawyers for the five teenagers as parties of interest and granting them access to case documents.
01:07Natasha Bust, FMT.
Comments