Celebrity preacher Da’i Syed has been ordered to serve a prison sentence after the Shah Alam High Court upheld his conviction and 10-year jail term, along with three strokes of the cane, for a rape case involving a woman seven years ago.
Judge Adlin Abdul Majid made the decision after dismissing the appeal by Syed Shah Iqmal, 31, to overturn the conviction and stay the sentence.
“The accused’s testimony was merely a denial, and there were no special reasons to postpone the sentence.
“This is a serious offence and the conviction and sentence imposed earlier are safe. Therefore, the prison sentence begins today,” he was quoted as saying by BH Online.
On August 30, 2024, the Shah Alam Sessions Court sentenced Syed Shah Iqmal to 10 years’ imprisonment and three strokes of the cane for the rape charge.
Previously, on December 10, 2020, the accused, then aged 31, pleaded not guilty to raping the victim, who was 23 years old at the time, at a condominium in I-City, Section 7, at 1.35 a.m. on September 11, 2019.
For the offence under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, the accused faced a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping if convicted.
On April 10, 2023, the Sessions Court acquitted and discharged Syed Shah Iqmal after the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case at the close of its case.
However, the High Court later ordered him to enter his defence after allowing the prosecution’s appeal. – BOOM!
