SEREMBAN: The decision on the inquest on Irish-French Nora Anne Quoirin (pix) will be known either this Dec 31 or Jan 4 next year, said Coroner Maimoonah Aid on the last day of the inquest proceeding today.
She said the testimony of witnesses and evidence presented during the proceedings since Aug 24, involving a total of 47 witnesses, who included the girl’s parents — Meabh Jaseprine Quoirin and Sebastien Quoirin — were sufficient.
“At the beginning of the inquest, I was given a rather long list for the inquest witnesses and we have shortened it throughout the proceedings itself.
“As we know, this is not a criminal proceeding ... this is an inquest to identify the cause of death of the deceased. So for me, as far as the witnesses that were called to testify and the evidence presented, (it) is enough for me to make a verdict,” she said.
Maimoonah said although the inquest did not require stakeholders - the inquest operator, The Dusun Resort and Nora Anne’s family - to file written submissions, they could do so, and should be submitted no later than Dec 24.
The proceeding into the death of Nora Anne at the Coroner’s Court, Seremban Court Complex, was also broadcast live online through the official portal of the Malaysian Judiciary and the official YouTube and Facebook social media, ‘The Malaysian Judiciary’ and was conducted in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
A total of 64 witnesses were listed to be called to testify to assist in the investigation.
Earlier during the proceeding today, 47th witness, Criminal Investigation Officer at the Nilai District Police Headquarters (IPD), Inspector Wan Faridah Mustanin told the Coroner’s Court that the investigation conducted from Aug 4 to 14, 2019 found no criminal elements that could be linked in the case Nora Anne’s death.
Wan Faridah, 30, the last witness in the proceeding which entered its 24th day today, also told the court that during the investigation, she was informed by Nora Anne’s mother, Meabh, that her daughter could have been confused as they were in a new place.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Sazali Omar acted as the inquest officer in the proceeding.
Nora Anne, 15, was found missing on August 4, a day after she and her family arrived in Malaysia, for a two-week vacation at a resort in Pantai here, about 60 kilometres south of Kuala Lumpur.
On August 13, 10 days after she was reported missing, her body was found near a creek in a ravine located about 2.5 kilometres from the resort where she and her family stayed, following a massive search.
The preliminary post-mortem report stated that the death of the teenager with disabilities, had no criminal element, and she was confirmed dead from gastrointestinal bleeding due to prolonged hunger and stress. — Bernama
