KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 6 — The Shah Alam High Court today discharged and acquitted Zaim Ikhwan Zahari, the father of the late Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matin, in a case involving the alleged neglect of the autistic child, after the prosecution withdrew its appeal.

According to Sinar Harian, High Court judge Suriyati Hasimah Mohd Hashim made the ruling after being informed that the prosecution no longer intended to proceed with the appeal.

The appeal had been filed against a decision by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on July 21, 2025, which acquitted Zaim, 31, after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case at the close of its case.

Zaim’s counsel, Haresh Mahadevan, told reporters that the prosecution had informed the court that a notice to withdraw the appeal was filed earlier in the day.

“They did not wish to proceed with the appeal, and the court therefore decided to strike out the prosecution’s appeal.

“This effectively upholds his acquittal of the charge under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001,” he said. He appeared with co-counsel Ramzani Idris.

The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ainul Mardiyah Mohd Ali.

In July last year, Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Syahliza Warnoh acquitted the father of two after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish the elements of care, neglect and common intention.

However, the court ordered his wife, Ismanira Abdul Manaf, to enter her defence on the same charge under the relevant provision.

The judge also ordered her to be taken immediately to Kajang Women’s Prison after rejecting an application to stay the sentence pending an appeal to the High Court.

On June 13 last year, the couple pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to a charge of neglecting their child.

Under the amended charge, the couple were jointly accused, as persons having custody of Zayn Rayyan, 6, of neglecting him in a manner likely to cause physical injury.

The offence was alleged to have taken place at Block R, Pangsapuri Idaman, Damansara Damai, and a nearby river area, between noon on December 5, 2023, and 9.55pm the following day.

The charge was brought under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, punishable under Section 31(1) of the same Act read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a fine of up to RM50,000, imprisonment of up to 20 years, or both, upon conviction.

Zayn Rayyan was found dead in a stream near Pangsapuri Idaman, Damansara Damai, at about 10pm on December 6, 2023.

The child had earlier been reported missing before his body was discovered about 200 metres from his residential block.