21-07-2025
Zayn Rayyan's mum denies glazing over when questioned over missing son
Ismanira Abdul Manaf said she could not understand why the investigating officer described her as being expressionless.
PETALING JAYA : Ismanira Abdul Manaf, the mother of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, denied glazing over when questioned by police over the disappearance of her six-year-old son, who was later found dead.
The 30-year-old told the sessions court today she had been crying all day while searching for Zayn, who went missing at about noon on Dec 5, 2023, before investigating officer Nina Syamimi Syamsuddin arrived at her apartment at 10.30pm that day.
Ismanira's lawyer, Haresh Mahadevan, had asked her to explain the officer's claim during the defence stage of the trial.
Nina, the fourth prosecution witness, had testified in February that Ismanira had a 'glazed look' when she recorded Ismanira's statement.
Ismanira said she did not understand why Nina had described her as being expressionless.
'After my son went missing, everything felt gloomy and painful.
'I cried the entire day. She only arrived late at night. At that point, all I could think about was Zayn,' she said.
She said after failing to find Zayn that day, she filed a police report at about 4.30pm and was told to contact Nina.
The officer then instructed her to go to the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
She arrived at 7pm but Nina phoned her to say she was attending to another case and asked her to wait.
Later, Nina allegedly told Ismanira to return home as a resident had informed police they had seen Zayn running along the apartment corridor.
Ismanira said she reached home at 8.30pm and found many people had already gathered at her apartment block to help with the search.
Earlier today, judge Syahliza Warnoh ordered Ismanira to enter her defence on a charge of neglecting her autistic son. Her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, 30, was acquitted.
Ismanira chose to testify under oath from the witness stand.
During the proceedings, the court had to stand down for about 10 minutes as Ismanira was seen sobbing when giving her testimony.
The couple had been charged last year with neglecting Zayn in a manner likely to cause him physical harm.
The alleged offence took place between noon on Dec 5, 2023, when Zayn was reported missing, and 9.55pm the following day, when his body was discovered in a stream near their home at Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai.
The charge is framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code. Upon conviction, it carries a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both.
Haresh, Ramzani Idris and Lavanesh Haresh appeared for the defence, while deputy public prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Aqharie Durranie Aziz and Nur Sabrina Zubairi prosecuted.
The trial continues tomorrow.
