"i Never Left Zayn Rayyan Alone" - Mother

PETALING JAYA, July 22 (Bernama) -- The mother of the late Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin told the Sessions Court here today that she never left her child alone, except during working hours and school sessions.

“Never, not even once. I was the one who carried, gave birth to, and raised Zayn (Zayn Rayyan). Throughout his life, I was only ever separated from him during my working hours and when he was at school.

"I never left Zayn alone or neglected him," said Ismanira Abdul Manaf, the first defence witness during the examination-in-chief by her lawyer Haresh Mahadevan on the second day of the defence proceedings in the child neglect case involving her autistic son.

Ismanira, 30, firmly denied that she neglected Zayn Rayyan, as alleged in the charge brought against her.

"I was not at Block R the entire time, and I never went near the river area as alleged.  I genuinely lost my child on that day (Dec 5, 2023), and it was not a case of neglect," she said.

Yesterday, Judge Dr. Syahliza Warnoh ordered Ismanira to enter her defence after the prosecution successfully established a prima facie case against her, while her husband, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, 30, was discharged and acquitted of the same charge.

They were charged with neglecting Zayn Rayyan in a manner likely to cause him physical harm, at or around Block R, Idaman Apartments in Damansara Damai, extending to a nearby river area, between noon on Dec 5 and 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023 under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to RM50,000, or both, upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA