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Nora Anne Quoirin inquest postponed after witness identified as Covid-19 patient’s close contact

Nora Anne Quoirin's family lawyer  S. Sakthyvell speaks to reporters at the Seremban Coroner’s Court October 19, 2020. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
Nora Anne Quoirin's family lawyer S. Sakthyvell speaks to reporters at the Seremban Coroner’s Court October 19, 2020. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

SEREMBAN, Oct 19 — The inquest into the death of Irish-French teenager Nora Anne Quoirin at the Coroner’s Court here has been postponed to tomorrow after a witness was identified as a close contact of a Covid-19 patient.

Quoirin’s family lawyer S. Sakthyvell said he was informed by the court’s senior assistant registrar earlier this morning that the postponement application was made through the deputy public prosecutor in their capacity as the conducting officers for the inquest.

“Today’s hearing was postponed because one of the police witnesses (to testify today) was identified as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 patient.

“The witness has already taken a swab test and is currently waiting for his result,” he told reporters when met here.

Sakthyvell also said he was informed that the witness had also held a meeting with the conducting officers last week, with the latter only finding out said witness was a Covid-19 close contact yesterday.

He said if the witness’ test results returned positive, the inquest’s conducting officers would have to take a swab test as well.

The conducting officers were not present in court earlier.

When asked whether the hearing would resume tomorrow, Sakthyvell replied in the affirmative.

He added that a total of three witnesses would be testifying tomorrow through video conferencing in light of the current circumstances.

Quoirin, a 15-year-old with learning difficulties, disappeared from The Dusun resort last year where she was staying with her London-based family, triggering a 10-day hunt involving helicopters, search dogs and hundreds of searchers.

Her body was discovered close to the jungle retreat and an autopsy found that she probably died of internal bleeding after spending about a week in the dense rainforest.

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