KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here will decide tomorrow on whether Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will be acquitted or convicted on corruption charges relating to Bersatu Youth (Armada) funds.
Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid is expected to deliver his most anticipated verdict at 9am, nearly eight months after the defence wrapped up their case in March.
If the decision favours the Muar member of parliament, he will be acquitted and discharged. Otherwise, he will face jail sentence and fine.
The prosecution argued that the former minister had malicious intent and abused his friend's trust when he instructed Bersatu assistant treasurer Rafiq Hakim Razali to withdraw RM1 million from Armada's bank account.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin contended that the accused never used RM120,000 for his political purposes, instead the money was transferred into his Maybank account.
However, Saddiq's lead counsel Gobind Singh Deo argued that the withdrawn money was meant for organising activities which coincided with the party's goals as well as to fight for social justice and safeguard the people's welfare.
Gobind also submitted that Syed Saddiq's charge under Section 405 of the Penal Code for abetting Rafiq in criminal breach of trust involving the RM1 million in funds should be demolished, as the charge sheet explicitly states that Rafiq had acted dishonestly.
However, he said, the prosecution had not proffered any argument to suggest Rafiq had acted dishonestly, nor challenged any evidence that supported the facts that Rafiq was not dishonest in withdrawing and utilising the funds for the people's welfare, that constituted misappropriation.
On Oct 28, 2022, Syed Saddiq was ordered to enter his defence after the court ruled that the prosecution had successfully adduced credible evidence proving each essential ingredient of the offences.
On July 22, 2021, Syed Saddiq was charged, as the then Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia Armada wing chief who was entrusted with control of Armada funds, with abetting Rafiq for committing criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM1 million of the organisation's funds.
He is also charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Bhd account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.
He is facing two counts of engaging in money laundering in two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.