High Court dismisses Syed Saddiq's application to challenge credibility of key witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here dismissed on Monday (Aug 22) an application by the defence to challenge the credibility of a key prosecution witness in the trial of former Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is facing charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.

The defence wanted to challenge the credibility of the 13th prosecution witness, Rafiq Hakim Razali, who is the former Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) assistant treasurer, following discrepancies between his testimony in court and the statement recorded from him by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2020 on the withdrawal of RM1mil from Armada’s bank account.

Judicial Commissioner (JC) Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, when handing down his decision, said there was no need to challenge the credibility of the witness.

"After examining the oral testimony and recording of the witness' conversation, the court found that there were minor differences which are not of material or serious contradictions.

"Therefore, the application by defence to challenge the credibility of the witness is dismissed,” he said.

Lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Syed Saddiq, then requested that a copy of the witness statement that was recorded by MACC be handed over to the defence and the court set this afternoon to hear the application.

The prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

On July 25, the High Court ordered the prosecution to give a copy of the witness statement recorded by the MACC in 2020 to the court for scrutiny and consideration.

Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged as the then Bersatu youth wing or Armada chief, who was entrusted with control of its funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1mil in funds belonging to the wing at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020.

For the second charge, Syed Saddiq is alleged to have misused property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018.

He also faced two counts of engaging in money-laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000 each believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputra account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018. - Bernama