PUTRAJAYA, July 13 — Tension gripped the Federal Court on Monday as the fate of Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman hung in the balance following a split decision among a three-member judicial panel hearing the prosecution’s final appeal.
The courtroom fell silent after the first two judges delivered opposing views, leaving the final outcome to the third judge. Throughout the proceedings, the 34-year-old former Youth and Sports Minister, seated alone outside the dock, remained composed with his head bowed as he listened to the judgments.
Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, who chaired the panel, was the first to deliver his judgment. He ruled that Syed Saddiq should be acquitted of the first charge of abetting criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million.
However, Abu Bakar found the former Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (MUDA) president guilty of one charge of misappropriation of RM120,000 and two money laundering charges involving RM50,000 each linked to funds belonging to Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (ARMADA).
He proposed a sentence of six months’ imprisonment and one stroke of the cane for the misappropriation offence. For each money laundering charge, he proposed six months’ imprisonment and a RM5 million fine, with an additional two years’ jail for each count in default of payment.
The proceedings then took a dramatic turn when Federal Court judge Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali delivered a dissenting judgment, disagreeing with Abu Bakar’s findings.
Che Mohd Ruzima upheld the Court of Appeal’s earlier ruling, saying the conviction was unsafe and should not be reinstated. He found that the prosecution had failed to prove essential elements of the offences, including allegations that Syed Saddiq had dishonestly misappropriated RM120,000 belonging to ARMADA.
He also noted that there was no evidence showing the funds collected were owned by Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, weakening the prosecution’s case.
With one judge favouring conviction and another supporting acquittal, the appeal stood evenly split, leaving the final verdict to Federal Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Recognising the significance of the moment, Abu Bakar informed both the prosecution and defence that the final decision would depend on Sequerah’s judgment and asked whether they wished to take a short break before proceedings continued.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin responded humorously, saying, “I need to go to the restroom,” prompting the court to adjourn for 10 minutes.
When the hearing resumed, family members and supporters of Syed Saddiq watched anxiously from the public gallery as Sequerah began reading his judgment.
Sequerah ultimately agreed with Che Mohd Ruzima, holding that the Court of Appeal had correctly found that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
“The respondent was lawfully entitled to the funds. I agree with the findings of the Court of Appeal and find no error that warrants appellate intervention,” he said.
His decision resulted in a 2-1 majority ruling dismissing the prosecution’s appeal and fully acquitting Syed Saddiq of all charges.
The judgment was immediately followed by applause and cheers from Syed Saddiq’s family members and supporters inside the courtroom, bringing an emotional conclusion to the high-profile case.
— MINUTESMY
