Court throws out defence bid for copy of witness statement in Syed Saddiq's case
The prosecution says the defence failed to convince the court that the requirements under Section 51 of the Criminal Procedure Code were met.
Just In
The defence in former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s trial today failed to obtain a copy of the statement recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) from a key witness in the case.
This followed the decision by High Court judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid dismissing the application by Syed Saddiq’s lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, for a copy of the recorded statement by the 13th prosecution witness, Rafiq Hakim Razali, who is the former assistant treasurer of the Bersatu Youth wing.
Gobind applied for the statement as there were contradictions between Rafiq Hakim’s testimony in court and the one recorded by MACC.
According to Gobind, the discrepancy was over the time and place where Syed Saddiq was alleged to have instructed Rafiq Hakim and assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi to withdraw RM1 million, as well as the purpose of a fundraising event in Muar.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin objected to the application on grounds that the defence had failed to convince the court that they met the requirements under Section 51 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged as then Bersatu Youth wing chief, entrusted with control of its funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim in crimincal breach of trust involving RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing at CIMB Bank Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.
In the second charge, Syed Saddiq is alleged to have misused property for himself, namely 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.
Subscribe to our newsletter
To be updated with all the latest news and analyses daily.
