MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BIN AB RASHID v Pendakwa Raya

b-09-168-07-2024 Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) 22 September 2025 • B-09-168-07/2024 • 52 min read
9 cases cited (0 SG, 9 foreign)

Catchwords

Seksyen 405 Kanun Keseksaan - Criminal breach of trust - Seksyen 408 Kanun Keseksaan - Criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant - Seksyen 409B Kanun Keseksaan – Presumption - pekerja melaksanakan tugas diamanahkan atau menerima gaji atau imbuhan dari akaun majikannya - menyelewangkan harta majikan - kesalahan pecah amanah jenayah - memohon kebenaran untuk perayu meletak jawatan - pelantikan wakalah - dokumen kontrak - seksyen 91 dan 92 Akta Keterangan 1950 - kebolehterimaan keterangan dan kredibilitinya amat diragui – tiada desakan, salah faham atau kekeliruan - wang yang diterima bukanlah suatu amanah yang dipegang bagi pihak firma - tidak wujud elemen “amanah” - elemen “entrustment” atau “dominion over the property” telah gagal dibuktikan - berjaya mematahkan anggapan kecurangan (dishonesty) mengikut seksyen 409B Kanun Keseksaan

Practice Areas

Seksyen 405 Kanun Keseksaan

Judges (3)

Azman bin Abdullah Coram Azmi bin Ariffin Delivered Hashim bin Hamzah Coram

Counsel (4)

Haniff Khatri Firm Haniff Khatri Counsel Appellant Nurul Huda Bin Razali Counsel Appellant Zander Lim Wai Keong Counsel Prosecution

Parties (2)

Pendakwa Raya Respondent Muhammad Hafiz bin Ab Rashid Appellant

Case Significance

MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BIN AB RASHID v Pendakwa Raya is a Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) decision dated September 22, 2025 (citation: b-09-168-07-2024). <p>A Syariah lawyer was convicted of criminal breach of trust under s.408 Penal Code for misappropriating RM7,000 of a client's money at the Syariah High Court. The Court of Appeal unanimously allowed the appeal, finding that the prosecution failed to establish the element of entrustment and that the accused successfully rebutted the presumption of dishonesty under s.409B Penal Code. The conviction and sentence of 2 years imprisonment and 2 strokes of whipping were set aside, and the accused was The panel comprised Azman bin Abdullah, Azmi bin Ariffin and Hashim bin Hamzah, with Azmi bin Ariffin delivering the judgment. Counsel appearing: Haniff Khatri (counsel for appellant), Nurul Huda Bin Razali (counsel for appellant), Zander Lim Wai Keong (prosecution counsel).

Summary

A Syariah lawyer was convicted of criminal breach of trust under s.408 Penal Code for misappropriating RM7,000 of a client's money at the Syariah High Court. The Court of Appeal unanimously allowed the appeal, finding that the prosecution failed to establish the element of entrustment and that the accused successfully rebutted the presumption of dishonesty under s.409B Penal Code. The conviction and sentence of 2 years imprisonment and 2 strokes of whipping were set aside, and the accused was acquitted and discharged.

What was the outcome of MUHAMMAD HAFIZ BIN AB RASHID v Pendakwa Raya?

<p>A Syariah lawyer was convicted of criminal breach of trust under s.408 Penal Code for misappropriating RM7,000 of a client's money at the Syariah H...

Statutes Cited

Criminal Procedure Code (Cap 593)

Cases Cited (9)

MY (9)
[1969] MLRA 382 [1972] 1 MLJ 122 [1980] 1 MLJ 160 [2005] 1 CLJ 389 [2005] 5 MLJ 409 [2007] 5 CLJ 1 [2009] 2 CLJ 800 [2009] 3 CLJ 236 [2009] 3 MLJ 151