KUALA LUMPUR – The grandparents of murdered child Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin were detained at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters this afternoon.
A source told Scoop that the pair were detained to assist in the investigation. However, the source did not provide further details regarding the action.
“Yes, they were detained. To assist in the investigation, that’s all I can say,” the source mentioned when contacted.
Meanwhile, the lawyer representing Zayn Rayyan’s parents, Fahmi Abd Moin, confirmed the matter when contacted by Scoop.
Earlier, Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan also confirmed the detention of Zayn Rayyan’s grandparents.
He stated that the couple, who are the parents of Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, were detained at 2.30pm today in Subang Bestari.
“Their detention is to assist in the investigation of Zayn’s case. We will apply for remand against them both at the Petaling Jaya court tomorrow morning,” he told Scoop.
It is understood that they were detained by officers from the Selangor contingent police headquarters.
Another source told Scoop that the grandparents were detained while returning home after attending a session at the Petaling Jaya magistrates’ court this morning.
This morning, Zayn Rayyan’s mother, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, did not record a guilty plea in a closed-door proceeding at the magistrates’ court.
Ismanira’s lawyer, Mahmud Jumaat, said police brought Ismanira, 29, to seek a confession before a magistrate under Section 26(1) of the Evidence Act 1950.
The section states that no confession made while in the custody of a police officer can be proved against a person unless it is made before a sessions court judge or magistrate.
“This is a process taken by police if there is a guilty plea. However, in this case, there was no guilty plea. Instead, my client only provided a statement.
“Isma emphasised today that she did not wish to make any guilty plea, but rather gave a statement different from what has been alleged, claiming she had confessed and was involved in the murder,” he said.
Mahmud added that only Ismanira was brought to court today for this proceeding, and tomorrow will determine whether the couple or one of them will be charged.
On May 31, police detained Zayn Rayyan’s parents, Zaim and Ismanira, remanding them for six days starting June 1.
However, on June 7, police obtained an order to extend the remand until tomorrow.
On Monday, Ismanira was taken to the murder scene at Idaman Apartment in Damansara Damai to re-enact the events leading to the disappearance and discovery of the child’s body last year.
Zayn Rayyan’s body was found in a stream about 200m from his family’s home on December 6 last year. – June 12, 2024