Bersatu Youth treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali claimed that he had gone out to meet its former chief Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman during Ramadan earlier this year.
This is in spite of Rafiq being a prosecution witness in the misappropriation case against Syed Saddiq involving RM1.2 million of funds belonging to the party’s Youth wing.
Rafiq (photo, above) made this claim in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon, during the hearing of four criminal charges against Muar MP and former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq.
Syed Saddiq was charged before the Sessions Court last year. The matter has since been transferred to the High Court for a full hearing.
Under the law for bail in criminal court cases, an accused is normally barred from meeting any prosecution witness in order to prevent the risk of tampering with the witness. Syed Saddiq is out on bail.
During proceedings before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid today, Rafiq explained his relationship with the accused.
‘I am still friends with him’
In reply to questions by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin during the examination-in-chief, the prosecution witness made the claim about his meet-up with Syed Saddiq.
Wan Shaharuddin: How is your relationship with Syed Saddiq?
Rafiq: I am still friends with him (Syed Saddiq). During the recent fasting month (between April and May this year), I met him to discuss a ‘baju Melayu’ project for Ramadan.
Wan Shaharuddin: How did you meet him?
Rafiq: I met him at his house.
Wan Shaharuddin: Did he (Syed Saddiq) talk about any prohibition order, where he is not supposed to meet any witnesses in the case?
Rafiq: None.
Earlier today, Rafiq testified that Syed Saddiq ordered him to distribute part of the Bersatu youth wing’s funds of RM1 million to two other party members.
The witness claimed the accused told him to do this, following the MACC coming to the lawmaker’s house to investigate his report over an alleged missing RM250,000.
After being booted out of Bersatu following the Sheraton Move that toppled the previous Harapan government in early 2020, Syed Saddiq went on to form the youth-centric political party Muda.
Proceedings before Azhar will resume tomorrow.
On one of the four charges, namely for criminal breach of trust (CBT), Syed Saddiq, 29, in his capacity as then Bersatu Youth chief entrusted with party funds, allegedly committed the offence by withdrawing RM1 million via a CIMB Bank Berhad cheque without the permission of the party’s Supreme Council.
He was purported to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, Kuala Lumpur, on March 6, 2020.
The CBT charge is framed under Section 405 of the Penal Code, and punishable under Section 406 of the same law, which provides a jail term of up to 10 years, with whipping and a fine as well, upon conviction.
Syed Saddiq was also charged with misusing RM120,000 in contributions for the 14th general election (GE14) campaign raised through a Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise (ABBE) at Maybank Islamic Berhad, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, between April 8 and 21, 2018.
He may be imprisoned for up to five years, with whipping and a fine as well, if found guilty of the offence framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code.
He was also charged with two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000 alleged to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and June 19, 2018.
These charges fall under Section 4 (1) (b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which are punishable under Section 4 (1) of the same Act, providing maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount, or the proceeds of the illegal activities. - Mkini
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