William Yau's grandmother claims she lied

The grandmother of William Yau Zhen Zhong, 6, who was reported missing in Putra Heights and later found dead in Port Klang, told the Coroner's Court on Tuesday that she had quarrelled with the boy's father Yau Kok Kang about a year ago.

Chee Chong Moi, 56, who was testifying in the case said it was due to Yau's refusal to give her money and it was just a mother-and-son argument but later patched up after Yau, 33, returned to Melaka and took care of her.

"I was angry with him at that time, and made up a story to my mother and younger brother that Yau had beaten William Yau until the boy was hurled onto a wall," said the 19th inquest witness, when responding to a question by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt.

William Yau was reported missing at Putra Mahkota in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, on Jan 16, after his father Yau and mother Goh Ying Ying, 26, had gone to the Onking electrical store to buy a washing machine, leaving their second child with two other children in their Toyota Hilux.

William Yau's body was found by a fisherman in a jetty at Sungai Sireh, Port Klang on Jan 24.

To a question by Coroner Mohd Hezri Shaharil as to whether she agreed or not that the statement against Yau amounted to a lying, Chee replied, "Yes, I agree".

Cross-examined by counsel Goh Kim Lian, who was holding a watching brief for Yau's family, Chee said she had never seen Yau beating William Yau to the extend of the victim being hurled onto a wall but as a father he used a cane to discipline him.

Earlier, Onking electrical store employee Wong Wai Loon, 33, said he was informed of William Yau's disappearance by a fellow worker, Beah Chin Hing at about 8.30pm and that both went looking for him (victim) around the store.

Wong said on the day of the incident, one of the metal lids on one of the six drains which were about 2m deep, and situated near a field, was missing.

"I used the built-in torchlight of my handphone to check inside the drains and could clearly see that the drains were dry," he said adding that he had helped the father of the boy to carry out the search.

Asked if there were any traces of blood, Wong said there was no trace of blood in the drains.

The inquest continues today.