Court of Appeal Allows Da’i Syed Temporary Release Pending Appeal in Rape Conviction Case
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal of Malaysia has granted interim bail to celebrity preacher Da’i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, pending the disposal of his appeal against his rape conviction and sentence.
A three-member bench led by Justice Datuk Azmi Ariffin, with Justices Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and Datuk Meor Hashimi Abdul Hamid concurring, unanimously allowed the 31-year-old’s application to stay the execution of the 10-year imprisonment term and three strokes of the cane imposed by the Shah Alam High Court on January 23, 2026.
Court Satisfied No Flight Risk Exists
In delivering the decision, Justice Azmi said the panel was satisfied that special circumstances justified granting bail while the appeal is being heard.
He highlighted that Syed Shah Iqmal had consistently attended proceedings at both the Sessions Court and High Court levels and had not demonstrated any attempt to abscond.
“There is no indication that the applicant poses a risk of non-appearance. There is no evidence that he absconded or failed to comply with court orders previously. We also note that this is his first offence,” he said.
The court fixed bail at RM40,000 with two sureties.
Passport Surrender and Monthly Reporting Required
As part of the bail conditions, Syed Shah Iqmal must surrender his passport and report monthly, beginning March 2026, to the Section 6 police station in Shah Alam until the appeal is concluded.
Justice Azmi cautioned that any breach of the imposed conditions would result in the immediate revocation of bail.
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Atiqah Abdul Karim, while the defence team comprised M. Athimulan, Datuk Abu Bakar Isa Ramat and Mohamed Baharudeen Mohamed Ariff.
Background of the Conviction
On August 30, 2024, the Shah Alam Sessions Court convicted Syed Shah Iqmal of raping a 23-year-old woman at a condominium in I-City, Section 7, Shah Alam on September 11, 2019.
He was sentenced under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping.
Although the Court of Appeal’s ruling permits temporary release, the conviction and sentence remain in effect pending the final outcome of the appeal proceedings.
-wilayah.com.my
