Prosecution in Syed Saddiq trial told to submit copy of witness statement to court

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered the prosecution in the trial of former youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman for charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering to give a copy of the statement of a key witness recorded by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in 2020 to the court.

Judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid made the order after agreeing with the defence that there were contradictions in the statements by former Bersatu Youth assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali, who is the 13th prosecution witness, to MACC and in his oral testimony.

He said the difference in the two testimonies was also acknowledged by the prosecution.

"I have instructed the prosecution to submit a copy of the recording of the witness Rafiq Hakim's conversation for scrutiny and consideration before the next course of action (to challenge the credibility of the witness) is determined," he said.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shahruddin Wan Ladin then asked whether the copy of the statement should be handed over only to judge or to the other parties as well.
 
Azhar said a copy of the statement should be submitted to the court first for scrutiny to confirm the differences between the oral testimony and the recording of the conversation before the application to challenge the credibility of the witness could be determined.

On July 22, Syed Saddiq again applied to challenge the credibility of Rafiq Hakim following several discrepancies between the latter's testimony recorded by the MACC and his oral testimony in court over the withdrawal of RM1 million from the Bersatu Youth bank account.

According to Syed Saddiq's lawyer, Gobind Singh Deo, the discrepancy was over the time and place where Syed Saddiq was alleged to have instructed Rafiq Hakim and youth wing assistant secretary Ahmad Redzuan Mohamed Shafi to withdraw the RM1 million and the purpose of a fundraising event in Muar.

Syed Saddiq, 29, was charged as the then Bersatu youth chief, entrusted with the control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq Hakim with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He was also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise by causing Rafiq Hakim to dispose of the money at Malayan Banking, 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, believed to be the proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

The hearing before Azhar continues.