Ex-secretary, not Zahid, controlled foundation’s funds, court told

 

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for his corruption trial today. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: The defence in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial told the High Court today the former deputy prime minister had no control over Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds to make payments.

Lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh said Zahid’s former secretary, Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, was the one who held the foundation’s cheque books, pointing out that she had admitted she used a signature stamp to issue cheques.

“We have established that she (Mazlina) was ‘negligent’, and she does not know how credit cards and cheques work,” he said in the defence’s submission at the end of the prosecution’s case today.

Hamidi pointed out that the signature stamp was meant for Zahid to stamp greeting cards.

“However, Mazlina had control of the stamp and she used it to stamp the cheques in question,” he said.

Zahid is standing trial on 47 charges of money laundering and criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister.

Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption, and the remaining 27 for money laundering.

The court previously heard that Zahid and his wife, Hamidah Khamis, owned more than 20 luxury cars and motorcycles, and funds from Yayasan Akalbudi were used to pay their insurance policies.

Besides the vehicle insurance, RM1.3 million of the foundation’s funds was used to pay for Zahid’s credit card debts from purchases at designer stores here and overseas.

The defence reiterated that there was no element of CBT committed by Zahid over Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds, and that law firm Lewis & Co served as the foundation’s trustee.

“The money still belonged to Yayasan Akalbudi and was not transferred to other third parties,” Hamidi said.

The hearing before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Wednesday after Hamidi told the court he was feeling unwell.

“I am not able to continue because the pain is disturbing my mind,” he said, adding that he was suffering from gout-related pain. - FMT