PETALING JAYA: A neighbor of Ismanira Abdul Manaf told the Sessions Court here on Tuesday that she did not expect her child to play 'tag' with Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, a few minutes before the autistic child was reported missing on December 5, 2023.
The 21st prosecution witness, Nor Zaini Zainul, said this when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, during the 11th day of the trial in a case of neglect that could have caused physical injury, involving the child’s parents, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and his wife, Ismanira.
The 39-year-old housewife said that she only found out about it after her husband informed her via WhatsApp at 12:45pm on the same day.
“I was shocked because my 10-year-old son, who was playing, only told me, ‘Mama, I was chasing the kid’ between 12:13 and 12:14pm. I thought he was playing with other children, I didn’t realise he was playing with Zayn Rayyan. At the time, I called him because it was time to go to school as the school van had arrived,” she said, reported by Sinar Harian
Meanwhile, the witness, who has been living in Block R of Pangsapuri Idaman since 2012, mentioned that she did not know Ismanira and Zayn Rayyan but often saw them around the area.
Meanwhile, during the cross-examination of housewife Rashidah Rajali, 37, by lawyer Haresh Mahadevan, who represents the couple, it was suggested that there were discrepancies in the testimony given by the 16th prosecution witness on February 18.
During the previous proceedings, Rashidah had mentioned encountering Ismanira, who was wearing a black headscarf, a white shirt, and black pants or skirt at 12:15pm, while 15 minutes later, she was seen wearing a dark-patterned headscarf and a different shirt.
Lawyer: “Was that an interview you gave to the media?”
Rashidah: “Yes.”
Lawyer: “Do you agree that the testimony you gave in court and your interview with the media are very different?”
Rashidah: “I don’t agree.”
Lawyer: “You never told the media that you encountered the mother of the late Zayn on that day, right?”
Rashidah: “I did.”
Lawyer: “Do you know if there was any CCTV footage that captured Zayn Rayyan’s mother going up and down the stairs in Block R?”
Rashidah: “I don’t know.”
Lawyer: “You didn’t know how many times Zayn Rayyan’s mother had gone up and down the stairs looking for the child until you encountered her?”
Rashidah: “Correct.”
Haresh then suggested that the witness might have a weak memory, as the statements she gave in court and during the media interview were different, but the witness denied this.
On June 13 last year, the couple pleaded not guilty to a charge of neglecting their 6-year-old son, Zayn Rayyan, in a manner that could have caused physical injury. The alleged offense took place around PJU Damansara Damai at 12pm on December 5, 2023, and continued until the following day at 9:55pm.
The charge is made under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which is punishable under Section 31(1) of the same Act, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code. If convicted, the punishment can be a fine of up to RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both.
On December 6, 2023, Zayn Rayyan was found dead in a stream near the Pangsapuri Idaman area in Damansara Damai at 10pm. He was previously reported missing before being found lying about 200 meters from his residence block.
The trial before Judge Dr. Syahliza Warnoh will continue on Wednesday (March 11).
