Syed Saddiq guilty of CBT, misappropriation of property, money laundering

KUALA LUMPUR - The High Court here has found Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman guilty of four charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of property and money laundering in connection to Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) funds.

Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid made the decision after finding that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of its case.

"The court ruled that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt, and the prosecution has succeeded in proving its case beyond reasonable doubt.

"Therefore, the accused is found guilty of all charges," Azhar said today.

The court is now hearing the submissions by the prosecution and defence on the verdict.

Deputy public prosecutors Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Mohd 'Afif Ali appeared for the prosecution, while lawyers Gobind Singh Deo and Haijan Omar represented Syed Saddiq.

Syed Saddiq, 30, was charged with abetting former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1 million of Armada's funds, to commit a CBT by misappropriating the funds.

The offence was allegedly committed at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2 here on March 6, 2020, and the charge was framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and liable to whipping and a fine, upon conviction.

On the second charge, the former Youth and Sports Minister is accused of misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise's Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq Hakim dispose of the money.

Syed Saddiq allegedly committed the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, here between April 8 and 21, 2018, and the charge was framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which is punishable by up to five years imprisonment and liable to whipping and a fine, upon conviction.

He is also facing two counts of money laundering, via transactions of RM50,000 each, believed to be proceeds from unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account in a bank at Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which is punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and liable to a fine of not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity upon conviction. - BERNAMA