In a recent court ruling, celebrity preacher Da’i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and three strokes of the cane.
The Sessions Court’s decision came down today, holding Syed accountable for the rape of a woman at a condominium five years ago.
Judge Norazlin Othman delivered the verdict after finding that the prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case against Syed, despite the defense’s arguments.
The sentence is effective immediately, today.
Upon hearing the sentence, Syed, who is a father of one, was seen visibly distraught, breaking down in tears in the dock, reported Harian Metro.
His wife, Hana Ismail, 38, who had given birth just 16 days prior, was present and was seen comforting him with an embrace.
Charges relate to rape incident on 11 September, 2019, at I-City Condominium
This sentencing follows a complex legal journey. On April 10, 2023, Judge Rihaida Rafie had previously acquitted and discharged Syed from the charges without requiring him to present a defense.
However, the acquittal was overturned in today’s ruling.
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on September 11, 2019, at 1:35 a.m., when Syed allegedly raped a 23-year-old woman in a condominium located in I-City, Section 7.
He was charged under Section 376 (1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years imprisonment and caning.
Throughout the trial, which commenced in April 2022, the prosecution called 18 witnesses to testify.
The case also had a previous legal setback when, on May 31, 2022, the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court acquitted and discharged Syed from two additional charges of committing unnatural sex and assaulting a private college student.
