Petaling Jaya: An investigating officer in the case of Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, who was murdered, testified in the Sessions Court today, asserting that the investigation into the involvement of the child’s parents, Ismanira Abdul Manaf and Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, was conducted with due diligence and not to unjustly target them.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, ASP Mohd Hafizee Ismail, 38, who formerly served as a senior criminal investigating officer at the Petaling Jaya Police Headquarters, made these remarks during cross-examination by defense lawyer Haresh Mahadevan. The lawyer, representing the accused couple, challenged the robustness of the investigation, suggesting it was frivolous and aimed solely at implicating his clients.

Mohd Hafizee firmly disagreed with the accusations, maintaining that the investigation was neither weak nor incomplete. He also rejected the claim that witnesses were coerced to implicate the accused and that facts were distorted in court to secure a conviction.

On June 13 of the previous year, the accused parents, both aged 30, pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to charges of neglect that allegedly resulted in physical harm to their six-year-old autistic son. The alleged offense took place between noon on December 5 and 9:55 pm on December 6, 2023, along PJU Damansara Damai.

The couple faces charges under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which carries a maximum penalty of a RM50,000 fine, up to 20 years in prison, or both upon conviction. Zayn Rayyan was reported missing on December 5, 2023, and his body was found the next day in a stream near his residence at Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai. The autopsy revealed injuries indicative of self-defense, leading to suspicions of murder.

The trial, overseen by Judge Dr. Syahliza Warnoh, is set to continue tomorrow.