Court of Appeal to decide Syed Saddiq's fate today

New Straits Times

6 hours ago

PUTRAJAYA: Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will know today whether his conviction and sentence in relation to multiple corruption charges will be upheld.
A three-judge Court of Appeal panel comprising Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin is set to announce the verdict soon.
The former youth and sports minister is appealing the High Court's 2023 decision, in which he was found guilty of four charges involving abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of Bersatu Youth's (Armada) funds, and money laundering.
The former Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) president was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison, two strokes of the rotan, and a RM10 million fine.
The atmosphere at the Palace of Justice, where the Court of Appeal is located, was tense as family members, supporters and members of the media gathered to await the decision.
Security was heightened, and a large crowd believed to be Syed Saddiq's supporters had formed outside the courtroom, underscoring the high-profile nature of the case.
It is understood that about 50 media personnel from local and international news agencies were present.
In March, Syed Saddiq's lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said in his submission that the lower court erred in failing to consider that the 32-year-old politician's defence was not merely a denial, but a challenge coupled with an explanation.
Hisyam said his client's defence was that he never instructed former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali and former Armada assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi to withdraw RM1 million from the wing's official account.
However, lead prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin argued that the accused had acted dishonestly and maliciously when he told Rafiq Hakim to clear RM1 million in cash from his home in 2020.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan also said Syed Saddiq's claim that RM120,000 from fundraising activities, belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, was transferred into his account as
reimbursement for political campaign expenses, was an afterthought.
In November 2023, Syed Saddiq was sentenced to seven years in jail and two strokes of the rotan by the High Court after being found guilty of multiple charges, including abetting criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property, and money laundering.
He was sentenced to three years in jail and one stroke of the cane for abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million of Armada funds.
Syed Saddiq was also sentenced to two years in prison and one stroke of the cane for misusing RM120,000 from a Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise.
The High Court also sentenced him to two years in prison and a RM10 million fine, in default four years' jail, for two money laundering charges.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently.