GEORGE TOWN: A teacher who taught M. Vasanthapiriya, 14, told the coroner’s court today that the deceased told him that “we did it” when asked if she had taken a teacher’s iPhone after school dismissed on the evening of Jan 24.
S. Paramasivam, 47, who taught Vasanthapiriya at SMK Methodist Nibong Tebal said the girl admitted this when shown closed circuit television (CCTV) camera footage taken from the school’s office.
He said others present then included the school’s disciplinary teacher and the teacher who had accused Vasanthapiriya of theft.
He said Vasanthapiriya was questioned about the theft at the school assembly site.
“I asked the teacher who lost her phone if she had gotten it back and she replied in the negative.
“I then approached the girl and asked her what happened. She told me that she was accused of taking her teacher’s phone after a CCTV footage showed her at the teacher’s room at the time of the incident.”
Paramasivam said Vasanthapiriya said she had not seen the CCTV footage and the disciplinary teacher later showed it to her.
“It was then she admitted by saying that we did it.
“She however told me she was only waiting outside the teacher’s room to monitor the teachers’ movement while another friend went into the room to take the phone,” he said.
Paramasivam said only Vasanthapiriya’s image was captured on the CCTV footage, walking into and out of the teacher’s room between 12.40pm and 1pm on Jan 24, the time the phone reportedly went missing.
The teacher said he then proceeded to ask the Form Two student if the iPhone was with her friend, to which she replied yes.
“She also told me that we could get back the iPhone if she was taken to the friend’s house.”
Earlier, Paramasivam told the court that he knew of the missing phone when he went to school past 1pm that day.
He added that he only knew of Vasanthapiriya’s alleged involvement in the theft when she was summoned by the disciplinary teacher to the school office for investigation.
“I had asked why she was summoned and was told that it was for investigation into the missing phone,” he said.
Earlier, another teacher, Zahratul Husna Zulkifli, 30, said she saw an Indian girl heading towards a teacher’s table and taking a phone.
“I remembered asking her what she was doing there and she told me that the teacher had asked her to get the phone.
“However, the teacher later told me that someone had stolen her phone,” she said, adding she told the teacher about the student but could not remember how she looked like.
“The disciplinary teacher then came and we went to the school office to see the CCTV footage. He event paraded several students before me.
“Even then, I failed to identify her,” she said, adding that the girl was not a familiar face in the morning session where she is teaching.
Today is the first day of the inquest proceedings into Vasanthapiriya’s death.
Her father, R. Muniandy, 54, was spotted with other family members along with representatives from the Malaysian Tamilar Kural, which had first highlighted the case.
It was reported that Vasanthapiriya committed suicide after being accused of stealing the phone.
Three people, including a police lance corporal and two teachers, took the stand today.
Inquest officers Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim and J.S. Kameni prosecuted.
Hearing before coroner Norsalha Hamzah continues tomorrow.