Miswati Lundu, 37, was being cross-examined by lawyer Ram Singh, who is representing one of the five teenagers accused of verbally abusing Zara, Sabah Media reported.

Ram had asked Miswati in the Kota Kinabalu coroner’s court whether she agreed there was negligence on the part of the management of the school and hostel in the incident.

Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan then told the teacher, who is also a school counsellor, that she had the option of not answering the lawyer’s query since it was an incriminating question.

“In that case, then I choose not to answer,” she was quoted as saying.

Miswati was also grilled by Ram on the school’s counselling procedures, maintaining that she had followed the guidelines in providing counselling to Zara earlier this year.

The lawyer had asked the teacher to be honest, after she gave unclear answers to his repeated questions.

Ram: You said that you did not inform the parents (about the counselling session), which means you did not fulfil one of the procedures, right?

Miswati: Under the counselling procedures, certain cases would follow that procedure.

Ram: So you did (inform the parents)?

Miswati: For certain cases, we need to do that.

Ram: So did you in this case? Not certain cases, but Zara’s case.

Miswati: For Zara’s case, no.

Ram: Please be honest.

Miswati: Let me explain, according to the counselling procedures … This step is for serious cases.

Ram: So is Zara’s case a serious case?

Miswati: Yes.

Zara, 13, died on July 17 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where she had been admitted a day earlier after being found unconscious in a drain near her school’s hostel at 4am.

The inquest continues.