Decision on application for a copy of key witness' conversation in Syed Saddiq's case tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR: The application of the defence to obtain a copy of the key prosecution witness's conversation recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in the trial of Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman who is facing charges of criminal breach of trust and money laundering will be known tomorrow.

High Court Judicial Commissioner, Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid set the date after hearing arguments by defence lawyer Gobind Singh Deo who is representing the former Youth and Sports Minister and the deputy public prosecution Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

Gobind argued that the statement recorded by MACC was important as there were two conflicting scenarios given by the 13th prosecution witness, Rafiq Hakim Razali who was then Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) assistant Armada treasurer on the collection of funds for the Muar MP's campaign.

He said Rafiq Hakim told MACC officers that the money in Armada's account are funds collected from the people by Syed Saddiq himself to campaign in Muar.

"Nonetheless, when giving his oral statement in court, the witness said the funds collected were for use by Armada

"As such, there is a contradiction in his statement, but we were not provided with the document, so how can we obtain a fair hearing," said Gobind who also alleged that the witness might have lied in court.

However, Wan Shaharuddin requested the court to reject the application on the grounds that the defence failed to convince the court that they have fulfilled the conditions under Section 51 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"They (defence) are only on a fishing expedition. The witness should have completed testifying but its like there is no end," he said.

Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged with abetting Rafiq Hakim in the CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to Armada at CIMB Bank, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.

He is also alleged to have misused RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya, between April 8 and 21, 2018.

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

-- BERNAMA