KUALA LUMPUR: Ahmad Zahid Hamidi says he is grateful that the High Court has granted him a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) in his Yayasan Akalbudi case.
This comes after the court granted him a DNAA on all 47 corruption, criminal breach of trust (CBT), and money laundering charges.
“My family and I are grateful to God because the court decided to drop the 47 charges against me,” the deputy prime minister told reporters outside the court.
However, he said the court could not acquit him yet because a royal commission of inquiry to look into the claims in former attorney-general Tommy Thomas’s controversial memoir has yet to be completed.
Zahid thanked his lawyers, led by Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, as well as Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders and members for their support.
“Our task in Umno and BN is to continue fighting politically motivated charges,” he said.
Present at the media conference were Zahid’s daughter, Nurulhidayah, Umno Wanita chief Noraini Ahmad and Umno secretary-general Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Earlier, the prosecution in Zahid’s case applied for a DNAA but Hisyam asked the court to acquit Zahid instead.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah then declared that Zahid was discharged of all charges but not acquitted.
This means that the prosecution is at liberty to continue with the case or bring a case against Zahid at any time in the future based on similar facts and evidence in the present case.
Sequerah made the ruling after hearing submissions from the prosecution and the defence.
Zahid had been accused of embezzling millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018. - FMT
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