KUALA LUMPUR JANB.24: The High Court here has decided the prosecution has established a prima facie case against 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight corruption and 27 money laundering charges against UMNO President Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi 68, and ordered him to enter his defence.
High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah has ordered Ahmad Zahid who is also the former deputy prime minister to defend himself on all the charges involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, a charity foundation which he had set up.
“After evaluating the evidences, I find the prosecution has proven all ingredients of the charges against the accused.
“I therefore order you to enter your defence against all the charges,” said Collin.
Meanwhile Zahid’s lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik asked the court to fix Apr.26 onwards for Zahid to enter his defence.
He said the defence needed time to interview the 37 witnesses that had been offered by the prosecution.
“We will not be able to meet the original date of March 28 that has been fixed as we would need to interview the witnesses, check and vet everything.
“It would be best if the defence starts from Apr.26 onwards,” he said and adding that the defence is expected to call around 20 witnesses to testify in Ahmad Zahid’s defence.
The High Court has decided to call Ahmad Zahid to enter his defence today after hearing submissions from Deputy Public Prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran and defence counsels Teh and Hamidi Mohd Noh.
Zahid had pleaded not guilty to 12 CBT charges, eight counts of bribery and 27 money laundering involving millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
For the CBT charges Ahmad Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make six payments for his personal credit card usage, insurance policy and licence for his personal vehicles, remittances to a law firm and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police Football Association.
The offences were allegedly committed at Affin Bank Bhd. branch at Jalan Bunus, off Jalan Masjid India here between 13th Jan.2014 and 23rd Dec.2016.
Ahmad Zahid is also charged with eight counts of bribery where he is alleged to have accepted bribes from three companies namely Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant and Services, Data Sonic Group Bhd. and Profound Radiance Sdn. Bhd. as an inducement for him in his capacity as home minister then to help the companies to obtain MyEG projects, supply passport chips and to be appointed as the operator of the migrant one-stop centres in Pakistan and Nepal.
He is charged committing the offences under Section 16(a) (B) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 at Maybank branch Dataran Maybank on Jalan Maarof, Bangsar between 29th March 2016 and 11th April 2018.
Ahmad Zahid also faces 27 charges of money laundering by engaging in direct transactions involving income from illegal activities between 29th March 2016 and 11th April 2018.
All, the offences were allegedly committed at Malayan Banking Bhd. Dataran Maybank branch on Jalan Maarof, Bangsar and Marhaba Enterprise Sdn.Bhd on Jalan Bukit Bintang here between 29th March 2016 ad 11th April 2018. –Malaysia World News
