New counsel for couple

PETALING JAYA: The family of murdered six-year-old Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin has appointed a new lawyer to represent the child’s parents, who are currently in police remand.

Newly retained lawyer Fahmi Moin confirmed that he has been engaged since Monday.

“I have been officially appointed yesterday and I will be representing the client at the end of the remand proceeding this Friday.

“The clients are expected to be brought to the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court this Friday,” Fahmi said when contacted by The Star.

Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Hussein Omar Khan, meanwhile, has said that any decision to extend the remand order against the parents, which expires on June 7, will depend on the results of ongoing investigations.

The parents’ previous lawyer, Mahmud Abdul Jumaat, had reportedly withdrawn from the case due to unspecified reasons starting yesterday.

This comes after the couple were remanded for seven days from June 1 to assist police investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

They were arrested the day before at 11am their home in Puncak Alam.

The couple’s remand order was issued by the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court.

On Dec 5 last year, Zayn Rayyan was reported missing in Damansara Damai. His dead body was later found near a stream about 200m from his home at Apartment Idaman.

A post-mortem revealed injuries to his neck and body, leading to the conclusion that he had been killed.

During the course of the investigation, police forensic teams combed the location where the body was found as well as the surrounding areas in Damansara Damai.

A mass DNA screening was also conducted at his apartment complex, where 228 samples were collected.

Witnesses, including those who claimed to have last seen the boy alive, were also brought to the scene to assist investigators.

Besides the boy’s parents, police have also called up three individuals, including the autistic child’s former babysitter.