PETALING JAYA: Zaim Ikhwan Zahari contended today that he and his wife should never have been charged with child neglect in connection with the death of their six-year-old autistic son, Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, in 2023.
The 30-year-old said this after he was acquitted of the charge by Sessions Court judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh.
However, his wife, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, also 30, was ordered to enter her defence after Syahliza ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against her.
Speaking outside the courtroom, Zaim said he was disappointed with the police, despite the full cooperation he and Ismanira had given throughout the investigation.
“I cooperated fully and placed my trust in the police to find and arrest my son’s killer, who is still out there, free.
“But this is the result of it (wife told to enter defence)? I am extremely disappointed.
“There should have been no charges. This is all ridiculous,” he said.
Ismanira took the stand as the first witness today after Syahliza ordered her to enter her defence for the charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act.
She is accused of committing the offence between 12pm on Dec 5 and about 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023, around Block R, Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai, up to a nearby stream.
Zayn Rayyan was reported missing from Block R of the apartment on Dec 5, 2023, after Ismanira fetched him from school at 12.30pm.
His body was found a day later in the stream, about 200m from his home.
Lawyers Haresh Mahadevan, Ramzani Idris, and Lavanesh Haresh acted for the couple.
The prosecution is represented by deputy public prosecutors Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin, Aqharie Durranie Aziz, and Nur Sabrina Zubairi.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
