1 week Ago By Dawn Chan
PETALING JAYA: The defence lawyers for Zayn Rayyan's parents have expressed dissatisfaction that the magistrate's court had dismissed their application to obtain minutes of the remand proceedings involving their clients. Lawyer Haresh Mahadevan, who is acting for Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf, both 30, said the documents were important to enable them to cross examine investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Mohd Hafizee Ismail."We had applied to the magistrate's court for us to be supplied with minutes of the remand proceedings for both accused for the purposes of cross examination.
"The application was made more than one month ago. These are public documents concerning our clients. "But what is shocking and disappointing is that the superiors have given instruction to the court to not supply the document.
"This is clear interference of the administration of justice."We are in the process of writing to the magistrate to find out who the higher-ups are so that we can take appropriate action," he told Sessions Court judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh. According to a document sighted by the New Straits Times, it said based on a phone call on Feb 19 at 4.
25pm, the instruction from superiors on the remand proceedings minutes will not be supplied.Haresh, appearing with co-lawyer Ramzani Idris in the trial, described Hafizee as a crucial witness. Deputy public prosecutor Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin said the testimony of Hafizee, including the cross examination, could take up to a week.
The trial resumes on Apr 21. Also on the prosecution team were deputy public prosecutors Aqharie Abdul Aziz and Nur Sabrina Zubairi. Zaim and Ismanira, both 30, claimed strial to a joint amended charge as persons having the care of Zayn Rayyan, 6, who had allegedly neglected him in a manner likely to cause him physical injury.
The couple were accused of committing the offence from 12pm on Dec 5, 2023 until about 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023 around the area of Block R, Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai up to a nearby stream.On Dec 6, 2023, the boy was found dead at a stream near his residence, Apartment Idaman, in Damansara Damai, at 10pm.
On June 13, 2024 , the couple claimed trial to the child neglect charge and were subsequently released on a bail of RM10,000 each. © New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.
