PETALING JAYA: The mother of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, denied charges of neglecting her autistic son during her defence proceedings at the Sessions Court today.
The 30-year-old testified that she had followed her usual routine on the day her son went missing, Dec 5, 2023.
Ismanira recounted picking Zayn up from school five minutes late after stopping at a supermarket to buy ingredients for his favourite meal, spaghetti bolognese.
She then took him to the playground near their home at Block C of Idaman Apartment, Damansara Damai, as part of their daily routine.
“Halfway up the stairs, I realised I didn’t hear the sound of his shoes. I thought he might have gone ahead, but when I reached home, he wasn’t there,“ she said.
She left both the grille and front doors open, hoping he would return.
Desperate, she called out for him, using both his name and the affectionate term “abang” (elder brother).
“I shouted ‘abang… Zayn… where are you?’ but there was no reply,“ she told the court.
When questioned about the police investigation, Ismanira said officers suspected criminal involvement due to injuries found on Zayn’s body after his discovery near a stream on Dec 6, 2023.
Authorities speculated the perpetrator could be a pedophile or drug addict.
Ismanira faces charges under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ jail, a RM50,000 fine, or both.
Her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, was acquitted of similar charges earlier.
The trial continues tomorrow. – Bernama
