What concerns about chain of custody are being raised by Nizam Salleh?

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Nizam Salleh Raises Concerns Regarding Chain of Custody and Accessibility of Zara Qairina's Diaries

Lawyer Nizam Salleh, representing the mother of the late Zara Qairina, has engaged a second team of forensic document experts to conduct a comprehensive three-day analysis of Zara's handwritten diaries. This initiative aims to ensure the fullest possible picture is presented to the court, given the diaries' significance as evidence in the inquest into her death. The new team, comprising independent forensic document examiner Tay Eue Kam and two forensic science experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia, is utilising a mobile forensic laboratory for their examination.

Salleh has articulated specific concerns regarding the handling and integrity of the diaries. These include issues related to the chain of custody, which pertains to the documented history of possession and transfer of the evidence from the time it was collected. He has also highlighted the presence of torn pages within the documents, potential date discrepancies, and the ease with which the diaries could be accessed by others. These points underscore a broader concern about the potential for tampering or contamination of the evidence before its forensic examination.

The accessibility of the diaries is a significant point of concern for Salleh. He noted that many of Zara's classmates were aware of her diaries and that her locker, where they might have been kept, was easily accessed. This raises questions about whether others could have handled the diaries, potentially altering their contents or affecting the authenticity of the written material. The goal of this scrutiny is to prevent any doubts from arising regarding the evidence presented in court.

This second forensic analysis builds upon initial findings by Dr. Linthini Gannetion, whose work focused on handwriting comparisons and reconstructing torn pages. The results of this new examination will be submitted to the court. The inquest itself was ordered by the Attorney-General’s Chambers following public pressure and questions from Zara’s family, after the 13-year-old was found unconscious in her boarding school dormitory on July 16 and died the following day. The entire forensic exercise is being funded by public donations collected through the “Justice for Zara” campaign.

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What concerns about chain of custody are being raised by Nizam Salleh?

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