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THE mother of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, the autistic child whose disappearance and death shocked the nation in 2023, denied encountering a neighbour on the day her son went missing.
Testifying in the Sessions Court as the first defence witness, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, 30, rejected prosecution claims that she had crossed paths with her neighbour and prosecution witness 16, Rashidah Rajali, at their apartment block in Damansara Damai on 5 December 2023.
“I did not meet anyone, including the witness, at the block. That was a working day. Not many people were around except at the shops and stalls outside, where I did ask the public for help,” she said under cross-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin.
Ismanira said she had placed her son’s schoolbag and two shopping bags at home after briefly opening her front door, before quickly descending the stairs in search of Zayn Rayyan.
“I met residents in front of Block A at the stalls. We left our contact numbers and searched each shop nearby. I asked the people around there,” she told the court.
When pressed by the prosecution on whether she met Rashidah twice that day, particularly at around 12.15pm and 12.25pm on the stairwell, Ismanira disagreed, refuting Rashidah’s version that she saw her with Zayn’s schoolbag and in different clothing.
Rashidah had earlier testified that she encountered Ismanira on the stairs at those times—first when sending her child to school, and again ten minutes later while returning home.
Ismanira denied those encounters occurred, as well as the suggestion that she had changed outfits while descending the stairs.
The trial continues. - July 23, 2025
