SHAH ALAM: Celebrity preacher Da'i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, broke down in tears in the dock at the Sessions Court here when he was found guilty of rape.
On Friday (Aug 30), Sessions judge Norazlin Othman sentenced Syed Shah Iqmal, 29, to 10 years' jail and three strokes of the cane for raping a woman five years ago.
Norazlin ordered him to begin serving the sentence immediately after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of its case, Sinar Harian reports.
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Syed Shah Iqmal was earlier accompanied to court by his wife Hana Ismail, 38, who had given birth just 16 days earlier.
On Dec 10, 2020, Syed Shah Iqmal claimed trial to the charge of raping the victim, then 23, at a condominium unit in Section 7 here.
The crime was said to have been committed at 1.35am on Sept 11, 2019.
He was charged under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which provided for up to 20 years' jail and caning if convicted.
On April 10 last year, the Sessions Court discharged and acquitted him of the charge on the grounds that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
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However, on March 7 this year, the High Court allowed the prosecution's appeal and ordered him to enter his defence.
Apart from the rape charge, he had also faced two counts of sexual offences against a college student.
He was discharged and acquitted of those charges on May 31, 2022 by the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court after it found that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
Meanwhile, Bernama reports that during Friday's court proceeding, DPP Raja Zaizul Faridah Raja Zaharudin requested a deterrent sentence, taking into account the public interest and increasing prevalence of rape crimes.
"Given the accused's position and the testimonies of witnesses, the accused is a well-known individual, a preacher with a strong religious background, and a motivator for young people.
"When this (persona) is presented to society, it is held in high regard, but the accused used his position to take advantage of the victim," she said.
Syed Shah Iqmal’s lawyer Syed Amirul Syed Edros requested a stay of execution as it was his client's first offence.
"My client is married and has a newborn child who is only 16 days old. His wife is in court today, even though she is still in her confinement.
"If my client is imprisoned, it will ruin his life, as his wife and child need him," said the lawyer.
