15/04/2026

WEDNESDAY | APR 15, 2026

5 Rosmah trial: ‘Overwhelming’ cash, jewellery found in raid

‘Zara Qairina was breathing normally en route to hospital’ KOTA KINABALU: An assistant medical officer told the Coroner’s Court that Zara Qairina Mahathir was found unconscious but still breathing normally when first attended to. Kinarut Health Clinic assistant medical officer Mohd Faiszal Md Saimi, 40, the first responder at the scene, said the victim had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) reading of 3/15, a level typically associated with severe traumatic brain injury. He added that despite the low GCS score, the victim’s vital signs remained stable during transport to the hospital. “While in the ambulance, I continuously monitored her condition. Her blood pressure was 108/83 mmHg, pulse rate 82 per minute, respiratory rate 20 per minute and oxygen saturation 98%, all within normal range,” he said when reading his witness statement before coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan. Mohd Faiszal said he received an emergency call at 3.23am regarding a student who had fallen at the dormitory of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Tun Datu Mustapha in Kinaru and arrived at the scene at about 3.45am. Upon arriving at the location, he found the victim lying unconscious on a cement floor near the dormitory building. Initial emergency treatment included the application of a cervical collar, oxygen support and other stabilisation measures before she was transported to the Queen Elizabeth I Hospital. He said further examination showed the victim did not respond to light, sound or painful stimuli, including the trapezius squeeze test. He also confirmed that no medication, including anticonvulsants such as Phenytoin, was administered during the initial treatment. Previously, the court heard that post-mortem laboratory tests detected the presence of Phenytoin in the victim’s kidney tissue. Responding to questions from the legal team led by lawyer Shahlan Jufri, Mohd Faiszal explained that Phenytoin is a Group B drug that could only be administered with a doctor’s approval and is typically used for seizures that cannot be controlled with first-line treatment such as diazepam. “Phenytoin is usually a last-resort option when seizures cannot be controlled,” he said, adding that the medication is available in tablet, capsule or injection form but requires a prescription. Zara Qairina, 13, died at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital on July 17, 2025, a day after she was found unconscious in a drain near her school dormitory at about 4am. On Aug 13, 2025, the Attorney General’s Chambers ordered an inquest after reviewing the police investigation report. – Bernama

o Volume of valuables made immediate inventory impossible, says ex-CCID director

KUALA Former Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Amar Singh Ishar Singh told the High Court yesterday that bags of cash and jewellery were found spilling onto the floor during a raid at a luxury Pavilion Residences condominium unit eight years ago. Amar Singh, 67, who retired from the police in December 2018, said officers discovered 71 luggage bags, one plastic box and 284 other boxes during the 5.30pm operation on May 17, 2018, Bernama reported. “Initially, we wanted to count each and every exhibit. But the minute we opened a few bags, the number of exhibits in each bag was just overwhelming. “When we saw bags of cash, it was not properly bundled. It was loosely packed and the contents spilt onto the floor. We had to quickly push back all the items and zip the bags.” He said the raid was conducted following instructions to search premises linked to former prime LUMPUR:

reported to have sustained injuries to his hand, the back of his head and his ribs after being hit from behind by the suspect’s vehicle while he was controlling traffic at Jalan Sultan Yahya Petra. Police have also urged any other vehicle owners affected by the latest incident to come forward and lodge reports at the nearest traffic police station to assist in the investigation. – Bernama Toddler dies from alleged abuse KUALA TERENGGANU: A three year-old boy died, believed to have been abused by his foster family, according to police. Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Mohd Noor said police received a report at 3.46pm on Sunday from a medical officer at the Bukit Payong health clinic, who had informed authorities that a child patient was brought in unconscious with multiple injuries to his limbs. The victim had been living with his foster family in Kampung Banggol Katong, Kuala Terengganu. Azli said a post-mortem examination found the cause of death to be complications from acute limb ischemia, in which a fractured thigh bone reportedly pressed against muscles and major blood vessels, leading to severe complications if not treated promptly. Following the discovery, police arrested three suspects, two men and a woman, believed to be the child’s foster family, to assist in investigations. – Bernama “The jewellery mark has been positively identified and returned to them. If this is so, then it was together with a total of 1,041 jewellery pieces found in bags stored in a room at the premises.” On March 29, 2023, Global Royalty filed a lawsuit against Rosmah, alleging she falsely claimed that 44 pieces of jewellery sent to her by the company’s agent, had been seized by authorities. everything did we allow everyone to leave.” Amar said inspection and valuation of the jewellery took place from May 30 to June 25, 2018, at the 34th floor of Menara KPJ. He also said at the end of each counting, valuing and tabulating process, the exhibits were escorted under tight security to Bank Negara for safekeeping in its vault. “I was informed that the AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering) investigating officer, together with a representative from Global Royalty, had positively identified one piece of the jewellery as belonging to them.

were so many chains. “We didn’t have a weighing machine with us. Neither were we experts in tabulating the exhibits. We were not able to determine whether they were real gold, fake gold, diamonds or otherwise,” he said during cross-examination by senior federal counsel Liew Horng Bin. He added that officers secured the items using plastic wrapping, similar to airport luggage wrapping, to preserve their integrity before transporting them to Bukit Aman in five secured trucks. “Each vehicle was escorted by patrol cars. Our entire team followed the convoy to ensure the exhibits arrived at Bukit Aman in their original condition. Upon arrival, we followed the same process, escorting items in batches into the lock-up. Only after sealing

minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and his family in connection with the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case. Amar Singh was testifying on the second day of a US$14.57 million lawsuit filed by Lebanese jeweller Global Royalty Trading SAL against Najib’s wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, over the alleged loss of more than 40 pieces of jewellery, before Judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the government are third parties in the suit. He said the sheer volume of jewellery made immediate inventory impossible. “We couldn’t count and tabulate the exhibits. There were just too many. Imagine if I tabulated the exhibits, I would be writing one jewellery item, and there would be 12,000 pieces for one chain. There

PRESTIGIOUS PRESENTATION ... Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Hassan ‘As’ari Omar (left) presents the Fire Certificate to PNB Merdeka Ventures Sdn. Berhad CEO Izwan Ibrahim during a ceremony held at Merdeka 118 yesterday. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

Police inspector identified as hit-and-run suspect KUALA LUMPUR: A driver detained for allegedly being involved in a hit and-run case involving a traffic policeman last Friday is a police inspector who suffers from a mental health condition, according to police. Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Fadil Marsus said the 40-year-old male suspect has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and is currently on special medical leave, as well as in the process of being retired on medical grounds upon the recommendation of the Medical Board. He added that the suspect was arrested at 3.45pm on Sunday at Jalan Empat, Chan Sow Lin after personnel from the Kuala Lumpur Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department tracked down his vehicle in the Jalan Cheras area through intelligence and closed-circuit television footage checks. “However, attempts to stop the vehicle failed when the driver fled in a dangerous manner. “In his attempt to escape, the suspect rammed several public vehicles before he was eventually surrounded and arrested.” Fadil said a breathalyser test conducted on the suspect returned a negative result, while a urine screening test will be carried out to complete the investigation. He said seven vehicles have so far

been reported damaged in the collisions, involving five civilian cars, a police MPV and a motorcycle belonging to a police officer. The case is being investigated under Section 42(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for reckless driving and Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of his duties. In the first incident last Friday, Constable Roslan Salleh, 27, was