Zahid's corruption trial postponed, witness down with Covid-19

The High Court in Shah Alam today postponed the hearing of Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption case over the Foreign Visa System (VLN) to Friday after being informed that the last prosecution witness had been infected with Covid-19.

Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran told judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa that he was informed by the 18th witness, an MACC investigating officer, about the matter late yesterday.

“We were informed late yesterday that the investigating officer tested positive for Covid-19. So, we couldn't call him today.

"We request that the hearing date for this week be maintained... if the witness recovers, and has tested negative (for Covid-19), we want to call the witness to appear on Friday (July 29)," he said.

Raja Rozela, who is leading the prosecution team, also asked for the August trial date to be maintained so that the proceedings could continue.

"Many trial dates have been set. We have a few more this August, if there are no obstacles, the trial can continue on those dates," he said.

The court had Aug 10, 11, 12 and 24 for the trial dates.

Raja Rozela is assisted by deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Abdul Malik Ayob and Zander Lim Wai Keong, while Zahid is represented by lawyers Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Ahmad Zaidi Zainal and Hamidi Mohd Noh.

Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One-Stop Centre (OSC) in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the home ministry.

On another seven counts, Zahid was charged as home minister to have obtained for himself S$1,150,000, RM3 million, €15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company in connection with his official work.

He is charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.

- Bernama