Zahid's the boss, has dominion over Yayasan Akalbudi, court hears

The High Court was told today that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was the “boss” who had dominion over Yayasan Akalbudi’s (YAB) properties.

Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran said the accused, who was YAB’s trustee, had control of the foundation and was entrusted with the dominion of the properties as a trustee when he misappropriated millions of ringgit from the fund.

She gave the example of how Zahid could control YAB with the appointment of two new trustees of his choice, namely Muhammad Nabil Saleh and Khairuddin Tarmizi.

The two replaced Samsuri Tun and Prof Zulkifli Senteri, who resigned from the Board Of Trustees on April 4, 2012.

“The vacated seats were promptly filled by two others who held positions in the Bagan Datuk Umno Division, namely Nabil and Khairuddin. (Zahid is Bagan Datuk MP).

“At first glance, their appointment as trustees might seem unremarkable. But if you take a closer look at their position, you will soon see that one of them is his personal aide.

“They may be trustees, they were trustees just like him (Zahid), but a reality check here My Lord, he is still the boss. And it is not an exaggeration on my side that ‘what the boss wants, the boss gets’,” the DPP said in her submission at the end of the prosecution’s case in Zahid’s corruption trial.

Rozela also said that on April 4, 2012, Zahid was himself made the sole signatory for YAB’s bank account.

“It was during his ‘reign’ that saw some 50 YAB cheques being issued and the withdrawal of funds from seven fixed deposit accounts. The accumulated sum was RM31,082,732.57,” she said.

Rozela further submitted that the Umno president also ought to have known that he was not legally entitled to use the property for himself.

She said by making use of the funds for his own purpose knowing that he was not entitled to do so, the accused had acted with the dishonest intention of depriving YAB of its properties and securing the funds for his own gain.

Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges - 12 for CBT, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering - involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB.

The hearing of the submission before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.

- Bernama