Crime & Courts

Celebrity preacher Da'i Syed granted stay of execution on rape conviction [WATCH]

SHAH ALAM: Celebrity preacher Da'i Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful was temporarily released from the Kajang Prison today after the High Court granted a stay of execution on his 10-year jail sentence for raping a woman five years ago.

Judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin allowed the stay of execution application by lawyer Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff, who stood for Syed Shah Iqmal, 29, pending an appeal at the High Court.

This was confirmed by co-lawyer Datuk Abu Bakar Isa Ramat.

Syed Shah Iqmal, 29, had been in prison for 21-days after the Sessions Court on Aug 30 ordered him to serve the sentence immediately.

"A hearing on the stay of execution application under Section 311 of the Criminal Procedure Code involving Syed Shah Iqmal, as applicant, and the prosecution as the respondent took place at 11am at the High Court today.

"The court allowed the application with several conditions," said Abu Bakar.

He, however, declined to elaborate on the conditions.

The court fixed Sept 24 for mention for Syed Shah Iqmal's appeal at the High Court.

Syed Shah Iqmal was represented by lawyers from Messrs Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak which also consisted of Datuk Wan Azmir Wan Majid and Muhammad Amin Othman.

On Aug 30, Syed Shah Iqmal was sent to 10 years in jail and three strokes of the rotan by the Sessions Court.

Judge Norazlin Othman ordered him to serve his sentence immediately and dismissed his application for a stay of execution.

In her judgment, Norazlin had stressed Syed Shah Iqmal's role as a celebrity preacher who has a huge impact on society, especially Muslims in the country, as well as youngsters and university students.

She said his act against the victim is unacceptable by common sense.

Syed Shah Iqmal was charged with raping a 23-year-old woman at 1.35pm in a room at the condominium in i-City in Section 7 on Sept 11, 2019.

The charge under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 20-year jail term and whipping.

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