PUTRAJAYA: Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman allegedly disguised bad intentions behind 'political mileage' when ordering RM1mil to be withdrawn from Armada's bank account, the Court of Appeal was told.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin said testimony from key prosecution witness Rafiq Hakim Razali on Syed Saddiq's alleged political mileage was not challenged by the defence.
Rafiq, a former Armada assistant treasurer and the 13th prosecution witness (SP13), claimed the RM1mil withdrawal on March 6, 2020, was related to the 'Sheraton Move' and aimed at gaining political mileage for Syed Saddiq.
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"SP13 also testified that another reason the appellant ordered him to withdraw the money was because it was the appellant's own money," DPP Wan Shaharuddin said.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin was speaking on the second day of Syed Saddiq's appeal against his conviction and sentence in the RM1.2mil graft case involving Armada funds on Thursday.
"The appellant is treating the money in Armada's account like his own that he could easily use without doing any paperwork nor getting any approval from anyone," the prosecutor said.
DPP Wan Shaharuddin noted that Syed Saddiq has not explained to the court what he meant by the money being his.
"The trial judge had a valid reason to call the appellant to enter his defence so he could explain to the judge and the rakyat why he said the money in Armada's account was his rightful money to use.
"Our contention is that as one of the trustees of Armada's account and a leader who often portrays a clean image, the appellant should know better than to use those two reasons when he instructed SP13 to commit an offence," DPP Wan Shaharuddin added.
According to DPP Wan Shaharuddin, SP13 "became a tool" for the appellant, and members of a WhatsApp group were also used to clean his image, to the point of involving his parents.
In March 2020, Syed Saddiq reported the theft of RM250,000 from his home but denied the money belonged to the political party, claiming it was for house renovation.
Regarding the allegation of prosecution witnesses "tailoring" evidence due to MACC pressure, DPP Wan Shaharuddin said such claims were speculative.
"What could be the reason for the witnesses to lie? Until today they (the defence) only brought up the speculation that the witnesses were pressured, broken down and fabricated testimonies.
"What was brought before this court is merely speculation," he added.
On Nov 9, 2023, the High Court found Syed Saddiq guilty of four charges of abetting in criminal breach of trust (CBT), misappropriation of funds, and money laundering involving RM1.2mil.
He was sentenced to seven years of imprisonment, a RM10mil fine, and two strokes of the cane for all four charges.
Syed Saddiq was charged with abetting Rafiq, who was entrusted with RM1mil of Armada's funds, to commit a criminal breach of trust by misappropriating the funds.
On the second charge, the former youth and sports minister was charged with misappropriating RM120,000 from Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise’s Maybank Islamic Bhd account by making Rafiq dispose of the money.
He was also charged with two counts of money laundering, 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.
The hearing continues before a three-judge panel chaired by Justice Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim on April 17.
Other judges on the bench are Justices Azman Abdullah and Noorin Badaruddin.
