Dr. Jessie Hiu, a pathologist from Queen Elizabeth Hospital (HQE), told the Coroner’s Court that she does not believe a washing machine could operate if a person weighing 53 kilograms (kg) were placed inside it.
She made the statement while being questioned by Deputy Chief of Prosecution II, Datuk Badiuszaman Ahmad, the inquest officer, regarding the possibility that the late Zara Qairina Mahathir had been put into a washing machine.
Dr. Jessie confirmed that she had seen washing machines on the ground floor of the hostel where Zara Qairina lived during a previous site inspection, but she did not check the size of the appliances.
Inquest Exchange:
- Officer: Were washing machines found?
- Dr. Jessie: Yes.
- Officer: Where?
- Dr. Jessie: On the ground floor, near the stairs.
- Officer: How many?
- Dr. Jessie: I don’t recall exactly, but more than one.
- Officer: Size of the washing machines?
- Dr. Jessie: Domestic machines, not industrial.
- Officer: Is it possible for the deceased to have been placed inside?
- Dr. Jessie: I didn’t measure the drum size, but I was told the deceased weighed 53 kg. I don’t know if 53 kg would fit in the machine, but I do not believe it could have been operated with that weight inside.
Dr. Jessie continued her testimony on the second day of the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
