PUTRAJAYA: Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman arrived at the Federal Court here at 8.26am on Thursday (Dec 11) for the prosecution’s final appeal to overturn his acquittal on four charges involving Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds.
According to report by Sinar Harian, Syed Saddiq, 33, dressed in a black coat, arrived accompanied by two supporters.
This marks the prosecution’s last opportunity to overturn the acquittal in a two-day proceeding before a panel of judges, whose names and number will only be revealed when the hearing, expected to start at 9am, begins.
The case opened with the prosecution, as appellant, presenting arguments to the Federal Court to set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision acquitting Syed Saddiq of conviction and the sentence of seven years’ jail, two strokes of the cane and a RM10mil fine.
The charges include one count of abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1mil, one count of misusing property amounting to RM120,000, and two counts of money laundering involving RM50,000 each.
If the court dismisses the prosecution’s appeal, Syed Saddiq will be fully acquitted of all convictions and sentences.
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However, if the panel upholds the appeal, he will again face the jail term, caning and fine earlier imposed by the High Court.
Proceedings continued with arguments from the defence, led by counsel Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, urging the court to uphold the Court of Appeal’s decision, thereby setting aside the High Court’s conviction and sentence.
On Nov 9, 2023, High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid convicted Syed Saddiq on all four charges, sentencing him to seven years’ jail, two strokes and a RM10mil fine.
However, on June 25, the Court of Appeal acquitted him after a three-judge panel led by Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, with Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, found the charges baseless.
The court also stated that giving instructions to withdraw funds could not be treated as disposal of assets.
The first charge alleges Syed Saddiq abetted Rafiq Hakim Razali (Armada Bersatu assistant treasurer), entrusted with RM1mil, to commit criminal breach of trust at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, on Mar 6, 2020, under Section 406 of the Penal Code.
The second charge involves misuse of RM120,000 from a Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise between Apr 8 and 21, 2018, at Maybank Taman Pandan Jaya, under Section 403 of the Penal Code.
The remaining two charges relate to money laundering, each for RM50,000, transferred into Syed Saddiq’s Amanah Saham Bumiputera account on June 16 and 19, 2018, at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Johor Baru.
These are under Section 4(1)(b) of the AMLA 2001 and punishable under Section 4(1) of the same Act.
Singer and actress Bella Astillah arrived a few minutes after the politician.
