PETALING JAYA: A sessions court has directed the mother of murdered six-year-old autistic child Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matih to mount her defence against child neglect charges, whilst clearing her husband of identical allegations.
Sessions Judge Syahliza Warnoh determined that prosecutors had successfully established sufficient evidence against 30-year-old Ismanira Abdul Manaf to warrant a defence response. However, the court ruled that the prosecution failed to meet the required legal threshold against her spouse, Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, also 30.
The ruling means Ismanira must now present her case to counter the neglect charges, while Zaim walks free from the same accusations.
Both parents had been facing charges related to the care and supervision of their special needs son, who was found murdered in December 2023.
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The court’s decision represents a mixed outcome for the prosecution’s case against the couple, with proceedings now continuing solely against the mother.
The prosecution closed its case on April 24 after presenting 28 witnesses over 20 trial days. Witnesses included the boy’s caregiver, forensic experts, and child witnesses.
Both were accused of neglecting their autistic son, leading to his death near their Damansara Damai apartment in December 2023.
