KUALA LUMPUR: Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman, the Member of Parliament for Muar, has been convicted on all charges related to aiding in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds, and money laundering. On Thursday (Nov 9), Justice Azhar Abdul Hamid, a High Court judge, stated that the defence was unable to raise any reasonable doubt on the four charges being faced.
On March 14, the defence concluded its case after Syed Saddiq and three other witnesses, Armada Information Chief Ulya Aqamah Husamudin, Mohamed Amshar Aziz, and Siti Nurul Hidayah, provided their testimony. A total of 30 prosecution witnesses testified in the trial, which commenced on June 21, 2022.
They included Syed Saddiq’s father, mother, and former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, as well as Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officers Nurul Hidayah Kamarudin, Syahmeizy Sulong, and Asbi Munip. The case was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Datuk Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin and Mohd Afif Ali, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar represented Syed Saddiq.
Last year on Oct 28, the High Court ordered Syed Saddiq to enter his defence after the prosecution established a prima facie case against him. He was accused of abetting Rafiq in misappropriating RM1mil of Armada’s funds, as well as misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic Bhd account and two counts of money laundering, via transactions of RM50,000 each.
Syed Saddiq was charged in the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court for the CBT and misappropriation of assets charges, while the other two money laundering charges were at the Johor Baru Sessions Court. The Johor Baru Sessions Court then allowed the prosecution’s request to transfer the case in order for all four charges to be jointly tried at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court. On Nov 25, 2021, Syed Saddiq was allowed to transfer the case from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
