The Federal Court, led by a panel of three judges, will deliver its final decision today on whether Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman stays a free man or goes to jail.
Court of Appeal president Abu Bakar Jais, presiding with Federal Court judges Che Ruzima Ghazali and Collin Lawrence Sequerah, will rule on the Attorney-General’s Chambers’ appeal against Syed Saddiq’s acquittal over charges of criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering linked to funds from Bersatu Youth.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, who led the prosecution throughout proceedings, said he had fulfilled his responsibility and respected the final outcome, Berita Harian reported yesterday.
"I have done my best in the interest of justice. Whatever the outcome, I leave it to the court," he was quoted as saying.
On June 25 last year, the Court of Appeal acquitted Syed Saddiq, 33, after allowing his appeal to overturn his conviction and seven-year jail sentence, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine imposed by the High Court on Nov 9, 2023.
At that time, the panel chaired by judges Zaidi Ibrahim, Azman Abdullah, and Noorin Badaruddin found that the High Court had erred in not fully evaluating the entirety of Syed Saddiq’s defence, which led to his conviction.
Proceedings leading up to final outcome
The Federal Court, on Dec 12 last year, gave the prosecution a one-week “cooling off” period to rethink its position on reinstating the criminal charges against Syed Saddiq - which was similarly extended to the latter’s defence team.
“I’m asking both parties to go back, reflect on your submissions, and then tell us your position. Do you still feel strongly that the appeals should be decided by this court, or do you need to revisit and review everything?” Abu Bakar had said.
The panel then allocated one week for the prosecution to file additional written submissions, followed by another week for the defence to review and respond before making their position known.
Five days later, MACC prosecutors informed the court they would proceed with the appeal, after seeking the instructions and the view of the attorney-general.
Four corruption offences
Syed Saddiq was charged in 2021 with four corruption offences - one under Section 403 of the Penal Code for misappropriating RM120,000 from Bersatu Youth Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq Hakim Razali dispose of the funds between April 8 and 21, 2018.
Rafiq was Bersatu Youth’s former assistant treasurer and is also the prosecution’s key witness in this case.
Apart from this, Syed Saddiq, who is the former Muda president, was charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code for abetting Rafiq, who was entrusted with Bersatu Youth’s funds amounting to RM1 million, to commit criminal breach of trust on March 6, 2020.
He was also charged with two counts of money laundering via transactions of RM50,000 each from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera accounts on June 16 and 19 in 2018, framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001. - Mkini
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