The Federal Court will deliver its decision on the prosecution’s appeal against Syed Saddiq’s acquittal on four charges involving Armada funds
KUALA LUMPUR: Muar Member of Parliament Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman will learn his fate tomorrow when the Federal Court delivers its decision on the prosecution’s final appeal against his acquittal on four charges involving criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of property and money laundering linked to funds belonging to Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia’s youth wing, Armada.
A three-member Federal Court bench comprising Court of Appeal President Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Jais and Justices Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to deliver the judgment at 9 am.
The ruling was initially fixed for June 30 but was postponed after Justice Che Mohd Ruzima went on medical leave.
The appeal was heard over two days, with both the prosecution and defence concluding their submissions before the three-member panel on Dec 12, 2025.
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutors Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib and Farah Ezlin Yusop Khan, while lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik represented Syed Saddiq
In an unusual move during the hearing on Dec 12, Judge Abu Bakar granted the prosecution one week to review its position after both parties had completed their submissions, stating that it needed time to determine whether to proceed with the appeal.
However, on Dec 17, 2025, the Attorney General’s Chambers informed the Federal Court Deputy Registrar by letter that the Attorney General had directed the prosecution to proceed with the appeal and would abide by the court’s decision.
On June 25, 2025, the Court of Appeal acquitted and discharged the 33-year-old after allowing his appeal against the High Court’s Nov 9, 2023, conviction and sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, two strokes of the cane and a RM10 million fine.
The Attorney General’s Chambers filed its appeal to the Federal Court the following day.
Syed Saddiq is accused of abetting Rafiq Hakim Razali, then Armada’s assistant treasurer, in committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1 million in Armada funds at CIMB Bank Berhad, KL Sentral, on March 6, 2020.
The charge, framed under Section 406 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
He was also charged with misappropriating RM120,000 belonging to Armada Bumi Bersatu Enterprise under Section 403 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between six months and five years, whipping and a fine.
In addition, Syed Saddiq was charged with two counts of money laundering for allegedly transferring RM50,000 into his Amanah Saham Bumiputera account.
The money laundering charges are brought under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a fine of five times the value of the proceeds involved.
