I didn't lie, but afraid of being charged in court for another case - Ex-Armada exco

KUALA LUMPUR: The former exco of the Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), today told the High Court here that he was not lying when testifying against Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, instead, he was afraid of being charged in court for another case.

Abdul Hannaan Khairy, 29, said that his testimony that the Muar Member of Parliament asked him to 'backdate' the quotation date and receipt amounting to RM250,000 in relation to the Armada souvenir, was true, but he did not remember the exact 'backdated' date.

"I was not lying but I was afraid of being charged in court," he said during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, at the trial of Syed Saddiq, who faces four charges related to criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering.

The 10th prosecution witness said that he would not have asked Muhammad Naqib Ab Rahim, who was then a member of Bersatu, to 'backdate' the dates on the two documents if Syed Saddiq had not asked him to do so.

Earlier, during cross-examination by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, representing Syed Saddiq, the witness admitted he was in fear when testifying in court today.

Gobind: Why are you afraid, has the MACC asked you about other cases?

Abdul Hannaan: Yes.

Gobind: You are afraid of being accused of other cases?

Abdul Hannan: Yes.

Gobind: You are willing to testify (in court), in return you are not charged in another case.

Abdul Hannaan: Your Honour, can I go to the toilet?

After hearing the witness' request, Judicial Commissioner, Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid, asked Abdul Hannan to answer the question from the lawyer first, and Abdul Hannaan replied, Yes.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hannaan, who is now the editor of Serius Kool Media Sdn Bhd, said he was arrested by the MACC on June 4, 2020, after receiving a phone call from Muhammad Saufi Yusof to pick him up from the MACC headquarters, Putrajaya.

"I left Southville City at 11 pm to fetch him (Muhammad Saufi) and arrived there (Putrajaya MACC) around 12 midnight. When I entered the MACC lobby, I couldn't call him and waited for Saufi to come out. While I was waiting in the car, suddenly two or three MACC men ran towards me and asked me to get out of the car," he said.

Asked by Gobind why the MACC arrested him, the witness replied: In relation to the loss of RM250,000.

According to Abdul Hannaan, he was also questioned about the Volkswagen car he bought in early 2020 and was worried that action would be taken by the MACC regarding the purchase of the car.

For the second charge, the accused is charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

Syed Saddiq is accused of having committed the offence at Malayan Banking Berhad, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of five years with whipping, and is punishable by a fine, if convicted.

He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

Syed Saddiq is accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The trial before Azhar continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA