KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court Judge, Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah said in the future if there is any case to be prosecuted but no intention to proceed with it, then it will only be wasting the court’s time and the people’s money.
Collin who is currently the Court of Appeal’s Judge said that after he made a decision to discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) on 47 cases related to Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who had been charged with corruption, money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
The High Court Judge said a lot of money from the taxpayers would be wasted if the prosecutors decided not to proceed with the allegations.
However he said, the Attorney General will have the power to begin or withdraw the allegations at any time.
Collin added this is in line with Article 145(3) Federal Constitution under Section 254 Criminal Procedure Code.
Judge Collin when reading the court’s decision said the prosecutors had applied for the cases to be stopped based on 11 reasons among others relating to issues in the memoir book of the former Attorney General, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas titled ‘My Story: Justice in the Wilderness’.
As quoted by Sinar Harian, Collin said, the prosecutor’s application has had an impact on the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament (MP) that is discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA).
Meanwhile, he said, the defense on behalf of the Minister of Rural and Regional Development had refuted the application and hoped the accused was discharged and acquitted (DNA) immediately.
Collin had cited that the accused had sent a representation containing hundreds of pages and as such it is reasonable if the prosecutors need more time to analyze the documents.
The High Court Judge said, he is of the opinion that the prosecutors have given strong reasons relating to the application, hence the court decided to discharge not amounting to acquittal on Ahmad Zahid on all the charges.
Before the court made its decision, Ahmad Zahid, 70, had sent a representation letter containing 200 pages to the Attorney General Chambers (AGC) as the basis for consideration to drop all charges against the accused.
The first representation letter was presented to the AGC in January while the second with the facts and new facts in February.
The UMNO President had been in court hearing proceedings for 47 charges namely eight on corruption, 12 breach of trust, and 27 money laundering cases involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
He was accused of committing the offenses between March 28, 2016, and April 11, 2018.
Ahmad Zahid was charged on Oct.19, 2018, and has since been ordered to enter his defense.–Malaysia World News
