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Zahari Mohd Reba, the grandfather of the late Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin, believes the person who killed him is still at large
"The real killer is still out there," the 57-year-old said, according to the New Straits Times.
In accepting the court's decision to sentence his daughter-in-law for neglect, he questioned the status of Zayn Rayyan's murder case, which has yet to identify the killer.
"Although the verdict has been delivered, what is the status of Zayn Rayyan's murder case?" he asked.
"Until now, the police investigation has failed, and the real killer is still out there," Zahari told reporters at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court.
Zayn Rayyan's mother, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, was found guilty today, 31 October, of neglect resulting in physical harm to her son on 6 December 2023
The boy was reported missing on 5 December 2023 after Ismanira picked him up from school around noon.
His body was discovered the following day in a stream about 200m from their home at Block R, Apartment Idaman, Damansara Damai. He died from ligature strangulation and showed multiple signs of physical abuse, including cuts on his ears and injuries to his anus, according to a forensic pathologist.
Both parents were initially charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which makes it an offence for a person responsible for a child to neglect them in a way likely to cause physical injury.
However, after hearing the prosecution's case, the judge ordered Ismanira to enter her defence but acquitted Zaim Ikhwan.
She was accused of committing the offence between 12pm on 5 December and 9.55pm on 6 December 2023, around the apartment block and the nearby stream.
Ismanira was sentenced to five years in jail and ordered to perform 120 hours of community service within six months after completing her prison term.
Zahari said his family endured two years of social media slander and scrutiny, and called for a fair and transparent investigation
"For two years, our family has been humiliated and defamed online, but we have remained patient.
"We accept this as God's will, but we pray that those who have slandered us will face the consequences — if not in this world, then surely in the hereafter," he said.
He added that the family will take care of Zayn Rayyan's younger brother, who is currently under the care of the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
