PUTRAJAYA: The decision in the prosecution's appeal against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman's acquittal at the Federal Court was halted as one of the judges on the panel had fallen ill.
The much-anticipated decision, which would seal Syed Saddiq's future as a politician, did not materialise after parties were told that Federal Court judge Justice Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali was unwell.
Court of Appeal president Justice Abu Bakar Jais emerged into the courtroom alone at 9.30am sharp without the other panel member, Federal Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
"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 a three-judge panel led by Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, with Justices Azman Abdullah and 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 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.
