Celebrity preacher Da’i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, has been acquitted and discharged of a rape charge involving a woman in an incident dating back seven years.
The Court of Appeal allowed his appeal in a 2-1 majority decision, overturning his earlier conviction and sentence.
The panel was led by Court of Appeal judge Datuk Azman Abdullah, with the majority ruling in favour of Da’i Syed.
With the latest decision, he is no longer required to serve the 10-year prison sentence and undergo three strokes of the cane previously imposed by the court.
Da’i Syed was seen breaking down in tears inside the dock shortly after the decision was delivered.
The case dates back to September 11, 2019, when he was accused of raping a 23-year-old woman in a room at a condominium in i-City, Section 7, Shah Alam.
He was charged on December 10, 2020, under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.
The Court of Appeal’s majority decision has now overturned the earlier ruling against him.
