Court To Decide Tomorrow On Zayn Rayyan S Mother S Neglect Charge

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Zaim Ikhwan Zahari (left) and wife, Ismanira Abdul Manaf at the Petaling Jaya court for the Zayn Rayyan trial. - NSTP FILEPICPETALING JAYA: The mother of deceased six-year-old autistic boy Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, will know tomorrow whether she will be acquitted or convicted of neglect that allegedly caused physical harm to her son two years ago.
Sessions Court judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh is expected to deliver the verdict at 9am at the end of the defence case.
The defence concluded its case on Aug 5 after calling five witnesses, the last being clinical psychologist Dr Noor Aishah Rosli.
Proceedings began on July 21, after Syahliza ordered Ismanira to enter her defence on the charge of neglect, ruling that the prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case against her.
Syahliza, however, acquitted Ismanira's husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, also 30, of the joint charge.
Ismanira was the first defence witness to take the stand and took three days to complete her testimony. She was followed by her father-in-law Zahari Mohd Reba, Zaim's aunt — a policewoman — and Ismanira's friend Umi Syafiqah Rohizal.
Among the 28 prosecution witnesses who testified were Faizul Najib Abd Munaim, 47, who discovered Zayn Rayyan's body on Dec 6, 2023; the boy's special education teacher Siti Aminah Nor Mad Ali; neighbour Siti Natrah Ismail; forensic medical consultant Dr Rohayu Shahar Adnan; as well as two child witnesses aged 10.
A rebuttal witness, Azura Mohd Nawawi, also testified about a viral video showing Ismanira, Zayn Rayyan and his younger brother walking down the stairs of their apartment block.
Other witnesses included police photographers, members of the Bukit Aman K9 Detection Unit, investigating officers Nina Syamimi Syamsuddin and Assistant Superintendent Nor Zaharuddin Sanip, as well as senior investigating officer Deputy Superintendent Mohd Hafizee Ismail.
Syahliza had ordered Ismanira to enter her defence under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which states that a person responsible for a child commits an offence if they neglect the child in a manner likely to cause physical injury.
If convicted, she faces a maximum fine of RM50,000, imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both.
She is accused of committing the offence between 12pm on Dec 5 and 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023, in the area surrounding Block R, Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai, and a nearby stream.
Zayn Rayyan was reported missing from Block R on Dec 5, 2023, after Ismanira picked him up from school at 12.30pm. His body was found the next day in a stream about 200 metres from their home.
Ismanira is represented by lawyers Haresh Mahadevan, Ramzani Idris and Lavanesh Haresh, while the prosecution is led by deputy public prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Aqharie Durranie Aziz, Nur Sabrina Zubairi and Kamarul Iman Ahmad Sapian. - NST

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