Syed Saddiq wins bid to move CBT, money laundering cases to High Court

KUALA LUMPUR: Former minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering cases in connection with Bersatu election funds totalling RM1.2 million will be tried before the High Court.

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan today granted Syed Saddiq’s application to transfer his CBT and money laundering cases to a higher court, citing that “there are likely to be unusual questions of law that will arise during the course of the trial”.

“It will be expedient for the ends of justice for the case of the applicant to be tried before the High Court,” he said after hearing arguments from lawyer Gobind Singh Deo and deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

Syed Saddiq wanted the case to be heard before a higher court on the grounds that constitutional issues would be raised during his trial.

He was charged with four counts of CBT and money laundering at the sessions courts in Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru.

The former Bersatu youth chief was alleged to have misappropriated a total of RM1.12 million belonging to the party.

From the amount, RM120,000 was said to be party funds for the 2018 general election, while RM1 million was allegedly withdrawn by him without the top leadership’s consent.

Syed Saddiq pleaded not guilty to the two charges of money laundering amounting to RM50,000 each at the Johor Bahru sessions court.

The money laundering case has been transferred to the sessions court here.

Meanwhile, co-counsel Haijan Omar said Syed Saddiq’s cases before the lower courts will be mentioned on Nov 30.

He said the defence will inform the sessions court judge on the High Court transfer order. — Free Malaysia Today