Syed Saddiq appoints new lawyers for appeal against CBT, money laundering conviction

PUTRAJAYA: Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman has appointed new lawyers to represent him in his appeal against his conviction, jail sentence and caning for criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds and money laundering.

His lawyer Alex Tan Chie Sian from Messrs Wong Kian Kheong, when contacted by Bernama, confirmed that former Solicitor-General II Mohd Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin and senior lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik will represent the former chief of Bersatu's youth wing, Armada, in his appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Tan said law firm Messrs Wong Kian Kheong has taken over as Syed Saddiq's solicitors in the appeal with Mohd Yusof being the leading counsel.

A case management was conducted today before Court of Appeal senior assistant registrar Nurul Azrina Mohamed who fixed another case management date on March 15 as the appeal record and grounds of judgment were not ready.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd 'Afif Ali appearing for the prosecution attended the case management today, along with Tan.

Syed Saddiq's previous lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo was appointed Minister of Digital during the Cabinet reshuffle on Dec 12, last year.

On Nov 9, Syed Saddiq, who is also former youth and sports minister and Malaysia United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) president, was sentenced to seven-year jail and fined RM10 million and two strokes of the cane by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur after being found guilty of four charges.

Syed Saddiq, 30, was charged with abetting former Armada assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was entrusted with RM1mil of Armada's funds, to commit 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.

On the second charge under Section 403 of the Penal Code, he was accused of misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise's Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq dispose of the money.

For the two charges framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFPUAA) he was accused of laundering money 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 High Court allowed Syed Saddiq's application to stay the execution of all sentences pending appeal.

-- BERNAMA