Nasimah Abu Bakar, a teaching assistant for special needs children, said she narrated this in a TikTok text message to Zikri Azim, an uncle of the boy’s father, last July, shortly after the boy’s parents were charged in court.
Ismanira Abdul Manaf and Zaim Ikhwan Zahari were charged with child neglect in July last year, six months after Zayn Rayyan went missing.
His body was later found in a stream.
Nasimah, the 10th prosecution witness, who was testifying under cross-examination by defence counsel Haresh Mahadevan, said the police had called her no less than five times to have her statement recorded during their investigation.
She said the investigators did the same with her superior, Siti Aminah Nor Ali, a teacher to special needs children.
The defence introduced the messages exchanged between Zikri and Nasimah as evidence.
Haresh: Did the police ask you to implicate Ismanira?
Nasimah: Yes.
Haresh: But you and Siti, being people of principle, did not give false statements.
Nasimah: Yes.
Haresh: Do you know the couple have not only lost their child but are now facing a serious charge?
Nasimah: Yes.
Re-examined by deputy public prosecutor Aqrie Durranie Aziz, Nasimah, 33, said the police did not exert any pressure or threat when calling to record her statement.
“The police were following procedure and the statements recorded were part of the investigation process,” she said.
During examination-in-chief, Nasimah said Ismanira had once told her that Zayn Rayyan had briefly gone missing at a park in Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
Nasimah said she contacted Ismanira at about 5pm on Dec 5, 2023 to verify if claims that Zayn Rayyan had gone missing, as claimed on social media, were true.
“The mother confirmed it, and I informed the matter to my superiors in school before leaving for home,” she said.
Ismanira and Zaim, both 30, claimed trial to the child neglect charge on June 13 last year.
The offence is alleged to have occurred at PJU Damansara Damai between noon on Dec 5 and 9.55pm on Dec 6, 2023.
The charge is framed under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
If found guilty, the duo may be fined up to RM50,000, sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, or both.
Zayn Rayyan was reported missing on Dec 5, 2023. His body was discovered in a stream near his home at Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai, the following day.
The hearing before sessions court judge Syahliza Warnoh continues on Feb 17.