Syed Saddiq maintains not guilty plea for money laundering

The former Youth and Sports Minister made the plea when the charges were read out to him again before Sessions Court judge Suzana Hussin.

Lawyer Haijan Omar, representing Syed Saddiq, then informed the court that the defence had filed an application to transfer the cases from the Sessions Court to the High Court and that the application would be heard before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan on Nov 25.

Following which, Suzana set Nov 30 for mention.

Syed Saddiq, 29, had pleaded guilty to the charges when they were read out for the first time last Aug 5 in the Johor Bahru Sessions Court and following an application by the prosecution, judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Arifin Ismail allowed for the case to be transferred to the Sessions Court here.

On both the charges, Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged with engaging in money laundering activities by transferring RM50,000 on each transaction, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

He was alleged to have committed the act at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Bahru on June 16 and June 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 under Section 4 (1) of the same act, providing maximum imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or proceeds of illegal activities.

In another Sessions Court, judge Azura Alwi set the same date (Nov 30) to mention another two cases facing Syed Saddiq, which were for criminal breach of trust (CBT) and misappropriation of funds.

Haijan, when met by reporters, said the defence had also filed an application to transfer thye case to the High Court and that the application would be heard on Nov 25 before Mohamed Zaini.

On the CBT charge, Syed Saddiq was charged in his capacity as then Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda or Armada, the youth wing of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu), chief, who was entrusted with the Armada's fund, to have committed the offence by withdrawing RM1 million from the fund via a CIMB Bank Berhad cheque without the permission of the party's (Bersatu) Supreme Council.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020.

The charge, framed under Section 405 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 406 of the same law, provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years with whipping and is liable with fine, if found guilty.

Syed Saddiq was also charged with misusing RM120,000 in contributions for the GE14 campaign raised through a Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise.

The offence was allegedly committed at Maybank Islamic Berhad,Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.

He faced an imprisonment for up to five years with whipping and is liable to fine, if found guilty of the offence, which is framed under Section 403 of the Penal Code.