‘Serious misdirection': Malaysia's appeal court acquits former minister Syed Saddiq of 4 graft, money laundering charges
The Court of Appeal ruled unanimously in favour of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, who is currently the Muar MP, to overturn his previous convictions on these charges.
However, the prosecution could appeal his acquittal, said Malaysia's anti-graft chief.
'This is a court decision. I was informed by the prosecution that they will appeal to the Federal Court,' Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Azam Baki told a press conference, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.
With his acquittal, the 32-year-old Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) founder and former president will no longer need to serve his combined sentences of seven years in jail, two strokes of the cane, and a fine of RM10 million (US$2.36 million).
The high-profile case has garnered much attention, with the verdict for the appeal ultimately decided by a three-judge panel, consisting of Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim, Azman Abdullah and Noorin Badaruddin.
Syed Saddiq had been accused of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, the former assistant treasurer of ARMADA, the youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), in committing criminal breach of trust amounting to over RM1 million belonging to Bersatu Youth, with the alleged offence taking place at a CIMB bank branch in Kuala Lumpur in March 2020.
On Nov 23, 2020, the Kuala Lumpur High Court found him guilty of a criminal breach of trust charge, and sentenced him to a jail term of three years, together with one stroke of the cane.
He was also convicted of misappropriation of property totalling more than RM120,000 also belonging to the Bersatu youth wing. For the offence of misappropriation of property for personal gain under Section 403 of the Penal Code, Syed Saddiq was sentenced to two years' imprisonment and one stroke of the cane, as reported by Berita Harian.
The former Bersatu Youth chief was also convicted on two counts of money laundering for transferring a total of RM100,000 to his personal account from a company linked to the youth wing, Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, for which the court sentenced him to two years in jail for each count.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court had ordered that his jail terms for criminal breach of trust and misappropriation were to run consecutively and for those handed down for money laundering to be run concurrently.
The judgement of the appeal was read out in a crowded courtroom for more than an hour. Noorin noted that the prosecution had failed to prove the ingredients of the predicate charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust and dishonest misappropriation, according to Malaysian media outlet Free Malaysia Today.
Noorin also said that the trial judge failed to appreciate Syed Saddiq's defence and had treated it as a bare denial and afterthought.
'There was a serious misdirection by the trial judge which warranted appellate intervention,' she said, as reported by Free Malaysia Today, referring to the process of appeal.
Syed Saddiq was represented by lawyers Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden and Hisyam Teh Poh Teik while Deputy Public Prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan acted for the Public Prosecutor.
He attended the hearing in a black suit and was emotional, hugging his mother and kissing her hand after the court announced the decision, according to Berita Harian.
With his parents by his side, he prostrated outside the courtroom, before he spoke to the media and described his trial experience as 'hellish'.
'It's too difficult to describe the experience other than to say it was five years of hell,' he said, as quoted by the Malay Mail.
'I wouldn't wish what I went through on my worst enemies, but I also hold no grudges moving forward,' he added.
Posting an official statement on Instagram, MUDA declared that 'the ruling was a victory for the people of Malaysia, especially the people of Muar'.
MUDA added that this would not mark the end of the struggle, triggering a wave that will continue to fight injustice and a movement that will continue to serve the country.
Co-founder and acting President of MUDA, Amira Aisya Abd Aziz, told reporters outside the court that the party would discuss Syed Saddiq's potential future as party president.
'Continue fighting,' she added in a statement on X.
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