Court to decide tomorrow whether Syed Saddiq must enter defence

The Kuala Lumpur High Court will deliver its decision tomorrow on whether incumbent Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will be acquitted or ordered to enter his defence on charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of assets and money laundering.

Judicial Commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid is scheduled to deliver the decision at 9.30am.

If the decision favours the prosecution in that it is able to prove a prima facie case against Syed Saddiq, the court will order the former youth and sports minister to enter his defence. Otherwise, Syed Saddiq will walk a free man.

Last Sept 27, the prosecution closed its case after calling 30 witnesses in the trial which began on May 21.

The witnesses included Syed Saddiq’s parents - Shariffah Mahani Syed Abdul Aziz and Syed Abdul Rahman Abdullah Asagoff - and Rafiq Hakim, who is the former assistant treasurer of Bersatu Youth, as well as MACC investigating officers Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin, Syahmeizy Sulong and Asbi Munip.

Deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Mohd ‘Afif Ali prosecuted, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar represented Syed Saddiq.

Bersatu Youth funds

Syed Saddiq was charged as the then Bersatu Youth chief who was entrusted with control of its funds, with abetting Rafiq with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.

The charge, framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, provides imprisonment for up to 10 years with whipping and is liable to a fine.

The 29-year-old was also charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code for allegedly misusing RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, for himself by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, between April 8 and 21, 2018.

On this charge, Syed Saddiq faces imprisonment for up to five years with whipping and is liable to a fine.

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.

The charge was framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which provides imprisonment for up to 15 years and shall also be liable to a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of the unlawful activity.

- Bernama

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