FORMER Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal has been sentenced to five weeks' imprisonment after the Sessions Court in Kota Kinabalu found the Parti Warisan president guilty of contempt of court over remarks made during the ongoing inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir.
However, the Semporna Member of Parliament and Senallang assemblyman will not begin serving the sentence immediately after Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan granted a stay of execution pending his appeal to the High Court.
In his judgment on Wednesday, Amir Shah ruled that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt under Section 99A of the Subordinate Courts Act 1948.
The provision carries a maximum penalty of six weeks' imprisonment and a fine of up to RM300 upon conviction.
The judge held that Shafie's public statements, made while the inquest was still in progress, had the potential to interfere with the administration of justice by influencing public opinion before the court had concluded hearing evidence and reached its findings.
The court found that the remarks created a real risk of prejudicing the judicial process, reinforcing the long-established legal principle that ongoing court proceedings must be allowed to run their course free from external influence or public commentary that could undermine their fairness.
The contempt proceedings arose after the Coroner's Court issued a show-cause notice to Shafie on Sept 22, 2025, over statements alleged to have interfered with the inquest into Zara's death.
On Oct 23, 2025, Coroner Amir Shah granted the Attorney General leave to initiate contempt proceedings against Shafie and activist Che Muna Din, also known as Mona Din, under Order 52 Rule 3(2) of the Rules of Court 2012.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Mustaffa P. Kunyalam and Nadia Izhar appeared for the prosecution, while Shafie was represented by lawyers Jakariya Ab Jalil and Chen Ket Chuin.
Mona Din pleaded guilty to contempt of court on Dec 18, 2025, and was fined RM300, with a default sentence of 14 days' imprisonment.
Zara Qairina, 13, was found unconscious on the ground floor of the hostel at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Tun Datu Mustapha in Papar before dying the following day.
The inquest into her death began on Sept 3 last year to establish the circumstances surrounding her death and is scheduled to resume on Aug 24.
Following Wednesday's ruling, Shafie's five-week jail sentence remains suspended until the High Court determines his appeal. - July 29, 2026
