The Wait Is Over, Syed Saddiq Fully Acquitted

PUTRAJAYA: Muar Member of Parliament, Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, has been fully acquitted of his conviction and sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine, after the Federal Court today dismissed the prosecution’s appeal.

In a 2-1 majority judgment, two judges on the panel, namely Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, ruled that the Court of Appeal was not wrong in allowing the former Youth and Sports Minister’s appeal in June last year.

Both Che Mohd Ruzima and Sequerah found that there was no error of law or procedure that could be used as grounds to appeal against the court’s decision.

The conviction and sentence were related to two charges of abetting criminal breach of trust, one charge of misappropriating property, and two money laundering offences involving Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (ARMADA) BERSATU funds.

As soon as the final judgment was read out by Sequerah, which confirmed Syed Saddiq’s acquittal after a 1-1 split decision, almost everyone in the courtroom applauded.

Court of Appeal President, Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais, who chaired the panel of judges, however, delivered a dissenting decision.

The three judges read out their respective written judgments, beginning with Abu Bakar, followed by Che Mohd Ruzima and Sequerah.

After the final decision was delivered, Abu Bakar then called Syed Saddiq forward to the panel.

The judge said the conviction and sentence he had decided for the second, third and fourth charges no longer had any effect because the two other judges had ruled that Syed Saddiq (the respondent) was not guilty of those charges.

He explained that this was the right of the Federal Court judges in the justice system, and emphasised that they too were ordinary human beings.

“We have days when we are healthy and days when we are unwell… when a judge is unwell, matters such as case adjournments can indeed happen.

“It is not something extraordinary or unprecedented. I hope all parties can understand this.

“We also follow developments around us… we know the respondent has plans after the outcome of this case.

“Now that the majority decision is in favour of the respondent, I hope he can proceed with his plans (wedding) as best as possible,” he said.

Che Mohd Ruzima, meanwhile, said that as judges, they cannot defend themselves in public or respond to statements made by any party.

Therefore, he said, he wished to advise interested parties not to make inappropriate statements.

He said the decision had actually been ready to be read out in the case.

“But when all three judges were directed to write their respective reasons for judgment and one of them fell ill, is it fair for that situation to be described as something extraordinary?

“As judges, we cannot answer all public perceptions or defend ourselves in public spaces, therefore interested parties must play their respective roles responsibly.

“I also wish to take this opportunity to thank the Head of the Prosecution Division, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, for taking a neutral stance and praying for the health of the unwell judge,” he said.

After the proceedings, Syed Saddiq’s family members who were in the public gallery were seen hugging each other, while he shook hands with his lawyers.

Berita Harian