THE Kuala Lumpur High Court today was told that Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman had discussed with members of a WhatsApp group on a statement to be issued to the media over RM250,000 missing from his home.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Muhammad Taufik Awaludin said the chat group’s conversation was obtained from a forensic report taken from a mobile phone belonging to Rafiq Hakim Razali, who was then Armada’s assistant treasurer.

“In the WhatsApp group, YB Syed Saddiq discussed the narrative to be issued to the media on the missing money.  

“At the end of the discussion, YB Syed Saddiq did not agree with the suggestions proposed by the group members and decided to issue a statement saying that the money belonged to him and his parents,” he said.

The first prosecution witness said this during re-examination by deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Muhammad Asyraf Mohamed Tahir on the first day of the trial.

The Muar lawmaker faces four charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money-laundering.

The witness also disagreed with lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who represented Syed Saddiq, that the RM250,000 was from Syed Saddiq’s parents for house renovation.

Wan Shaharuddin: Why didn’t you agree?

Taufik: I did not agree because there was also a discussion in the WhatsApp group that the money was from a discretionary fund that he previously applied for. After that, YB Syed Saddiq talked about the media statement that needed to be issued. He chose to lodge a police report and issue a media statement on the matter.

Wan Shaharuddin: Your investigation into the loss of money at YB Syed Saddiq’s house, is it related to the charge of withdrawing RM1 million?

Taufik: Yes.

Referred to the police report lodged by Syed Saddiq, the witness said the report stated that at 7.51pm on March 29, 2020, about RM250,000 in cash kept in a safe at his house had been stolen.

“There was no sign of it being forced open while the condition of his house was tidy and only certain people knew the combination,” said the witness.

Taufik said Syed Saddiq’s parents had also lodged a police report on the missing money.

Syed Saddiq is charged as the then Armada chief – who was entrusted with control of Armada funds – of abetting Rafiq, 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 Bhd, Menara CIMB KL Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral 2, on March 6, 2020.

The offence, under section 406 of the penal code, carries a jail term of up to 10 years with whipping, and is liable to a fine.

For the second charge, the accused is alleged to have misused 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.

Syed Saddiq is charged with committing the offence at Malayan Banking Bhd, Jalan Pandan 3/6A, Taman Pandan Jaya between April 8 and 21, 2018.

The charge, under section 403 of the penal code, carries a maximum five years’ jail with whipping and is punishable by a fine.

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 Bhd account into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.

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

The charges were framed under section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum 15 years’ jail and a fine of not less than five times the amount or the proceeds of illegal activities.

The trial before judicial commissioner Azhar Abdul Hamid continues. – Bernama, June 21, 2022.