PUTRAJAYA: In an unexpected twist of events, the much-awaited decision in the prosecution's appeal against Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's acquittal in his graft case involving Armada funds has been postponed to July 13.
The decision was initially scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday (June 30), but it was adjourned due to one of the Federal Court judges, Justice Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, being ill.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who leads the prosecution team, told the media that such postponements happen.
"We, from the prosecution, pray for Justice Che Mohd Ruzima's recovery. These things happen. We only need to be patient," he said when contacted.
Earlier on Tuesday, Court of Appeal president Justice Abu Bakar Jais announced that the three-judge panel would not be delivering the decision due to the absence of Justice Che Mohd Ruzima.
Another panel member, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah, was available but did not appear on the bench during the proceedings.
"Justice Collin and I are here in court, but Justice Che Mohd Ruzima is not here with us. We were told that he (Justice Che Mohd Ruzima) is sick and he is resting today and tomorrow.
"In light of this situation, we are unable to deliver our decision today. It doesn't seem right to give the decision without one panel member.
"We are ready with the decision, but this is the unfortunate event that happened today," Justice Abu Bakar said here on Tuesday.
The court then postponed the proceedings to July 13.
On Nov 9, 2023, High Court Justice 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 finding the charges baseless.
The prosecution then filed an appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision.
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.
