PETALING JAYA: The mother of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, testified in court that she suspected her son was abducted on the day he went missing. The 30-year-old said she did not hear his footsteps while climbing stairs to their apartment on December 5, 2023.
Ismanira, the first defence witness, disagreed with the prosecution’s suggestion that no abduction occurred. “I suspected my child was kidnapped because I didn’t hear his footsteps,“ she stated during the neglect case proceedings at the Sessions Court. She explained she relied on hearing rather than sight to monitor Zayn Rayyan, who was behind her.
The prosecution argued visual monitoring would have been more effective. Ismanira countered that her son, despite being autistic, knew his way home and never left unsupervised. She denied leaving him alone at a playground before his disappearance.
Judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh had earlier ordered Ismanira to enter her defence after finding a prima facie case. Her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, was acquitted of the same charge. The couple faced allegations of neglect under the Children Act 2001, which carries severe penalties.
The trial resumes tomorrow. - Bernama
