PETALING JAYA: UMNO president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was today ordered to enter his defence on all 47 charges of misappropriation of funds from a charity organisation, The Malaysian Insight reports.
Judge Datuk Colin Lawrence Sequerah, who made the order, did not allow the accused’s application for immunity.
“Of the immunity points, I find no merit to the contention that the case has immunity in relation to the 12 charges under section 409 of the penal code.
“After a maximum evaluation, the prosecution has proven ingredients of all 12 charges and has successfully made a prima facie case. The accused is asked to enter defence for all 12 charges,” he reportedly said.
In this trial, Ahmad Zahid ― who is a former home minister and deputy prime minister ― faces 47 charges, namely 12 counts of criminal breach of trust in relation to charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds, 27 counts of money laundering, and eight counts of bribery charges.
The trial against Ahmad Zahid started on November 18, 2019, with the prosecution having called in 99 prosecution witnesses to testify against the former deputy prime minister over more than 50 days of trial.
The prosecution on March 19, 2021 rested its case after all 99 witnesses had testified, with the High Court then hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence over 24 days before arriving at today’s decision.
Ahmad Zahid is a trustee of Yayasan Akalbudi and was also made the sole authorised person who could sign the foundation’s cheques. The foundation is registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia, and is aimed at eradicating poverty and enhancing the welfare of the poor.
