KUALA LUMPUR: The usually calm and composed Raja Rozela Raja Toran, the lead deputy public prosecutor in Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial, lost her patience when she accused the Umno president of being evasive in his answers during cross-examination.
Raja Rozela was left enraged when Zahid repeatedly refused to stick to directly answering her questions but insisted on elaborating.
Zahid had appeared to have not taken the advice of trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah and repeated reminders by Raja Rozela.
Raja Rozela ended her examination by saying “thank you”, only to have Zahid respond with “thank you to you, too”.
At this point, she asked the former deputy prime minister to stop “trying to be funny”.
“Be careful, Datuk Seri. I am reminding you to behave yourself.
“I am an officer of the court and you are not in a kedai kopi (coffee shop) or the (Umno) Supreme Council meeting,” she said.
Earlier, she told Zahid to answer her questions directly and that she would seek clarification if the need arose.
This happened when Zahid was asked several questions on how RM17.9 million from Yayasan Akalbudi had ended up in the fixed deposits handled by law firm Messrs Lewis & Co, the subject matter of one of the 12 misappropriation charges levelled against him.
Zahid’s lead counsel, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, stood up and said Raja Rozela should stop giving a lecture.
Zahid had told the court earlier that the company secretary did not record the foundation’s board of trustees’ approval to invest RM10 million in Armada Holdings Sdn Bhd, the subject of another CBT charge.
“I discussed the matter and obtained approval from two other trustees,” he said.
Raja Rozela: How is it that there is no record of a meeting or discussion?
Zahid: That is the company secretary’s mistake, not mine.
Zahid is standing trial on 47 charges of money laundering and criminal breach of trust involving millions from Yayasan Akalbudi, and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister.
Twelve of the charges are for CBT, eight for corruption, and the remaining 27 for money laundering.
The hearing continues. - FMT
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