KUALA LUMPUR – The sessions court in Petaling Jaya today acquitted the father of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin of child neglect but ordered the boy’s mother to enter her defence on the same charge.
Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, 30, was freed after the court ruled the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against him. Meanwhile, his wife, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, also 30, was called to testify in her defence and gave sworn evidence from the witness stand.
Earlier, the court informed Ismanira of her three legal options: to remain silent; to give an unsworn statement from the dock without cross-examination; or to testify under oath from the witness stand, where she could be questioned by the prosecution. She chose the third option.
After the verdict was delivered, Ismanira and Zaim were seen in tears as they hugged each other and were comforted by family members present in court.
Both were jointly accused of neglecting their 6-year-old autistic son in a manner likely to cause him physical harm in the vicinity of Block R, Idaman Apartments in Damansara Damai and a nearby river between noon on December 5 and 9.55pm on December 6, 2023.
Zayn was reported missing on the afternoon of December 5, shortly after being picked up from school by his mother. His body was discovered the following evening in a stream roughly 200 metres from their apartment, sparking nationwide public interest and a high-profile investigation.
The couple were charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Children Act 2001, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of RM50,000, or both, upon conviction.
In her ruling, judge Syahliza Warnoh said the decision followed a review of prosecution witness testimony and submissions from both parties.
“Therefore, the first accused (Zaim Ikhwan) is discharged and acquitted while for the second accused (Ismanira), the court finds that the prosecution has succeeded in proving a prima facie case… and she is called to defend herself,” she said.
The trial, which began in February, saw the prosecution call 28 witnesses over 20 days of proceedings, including Zayn’s caregiver, forensic experts, investigating officers, and two children.
The proceedings were attended by deputy public prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Aqharie Durranie Aziz and Nur Sabrina Zubairi, while the couple were represented by lawyers Haresh Mahadevan, Ramzani Idris and Lavanesh Haresh. – July 21, 2025