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Syed Saddiq trial stopped after DPP suffers post-lunch stomach ache

Malay Mail
Malay Mail

KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 — The trial of Syed Saddiq Abdul Rahman is on hold until tomorrow after deputy public prosecutor Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin complained of stomach discomfort.

Wan Shaharuddin said he wasn’t feeling well after court resumed at 2.30pm after lunch and asked that proceedings be halted and continued tomorrow morning.

“Your honour, I’m not feeling well since yesterday. My stomach is troubling me. I am struggling to breathe. I think I have gastric problems.

“I only have a few more questions and will be done in, say, 20 to 30 minutes. Can we continue tomorrow? The witnesses will only take a short time tomorrow,” Ladin told High Court Judge Datuk Azhar Abdul Hamid.

“Rafiq (Hakim Razali) will take time. The rest of the witnesses will be quick, your honour. I am sorry about this,” he said.

Syed Saddiq’s counsel Gobind Singh Deo did not object.

“We, of course, would like to proceed as we have lots of time but if my learned friend is unwell I understand his position. I won’t object,” said Gobind.

Syed Saddiq, 29, is charged as the then Bersatu Youth wing or Armada chief — who was entrusted with control of Armada funds — of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, Armada’s assistant treasurer at the time, with CBT of RM1 million in funds belonging to the wing.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at CIMB Bank Berhad, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, here on March 6, 2020, and is charged under Section 406 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment for up to 10 years with whipping, and is liable to a fine, if found guilty.

For the second charge, the accused is charged with misusing property for himself, namely RM120,000 from the Maybank Islamic Berhad account belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise, by causing Rafiq to dispose of the money.

Syed Saddiq is accused of having committed the offence at Malayan Banking Berhad, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya here, between April 8 and 21, 2018, and charged under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which carries a minimum jail term of six months and a maximum of five years with whipping, and is punishable by a fine, if convicted.

He also faces two counts of engaging in money laundering activities, namely two transactions of RM50,000, believed to be proceeds of unlawful activities, from his Maybank Islamic Berhad account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

Syed Saddiq is accused of committing the offence at a bank in Jalan Persisiran Perling, Taman Perling, Johor Baru, on June 16 and 19, 2018.

The trial continues tomorrow morning at 10am.