Trustees of charity foundation were Zahid’s ‘puppets’, prosecution tells court

The board of trustees of Yayasan Akalbudi were mere “puppets” controlled by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and their appointments were just to make up the numbers in the foundation, the High Court heard today.

Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran said none of the board members made any contributions, and that all instructions came from Zahid.

“Yayasan Akalbudi was basically his (Zahid’s) because he was the main contributor to that foundation. The other trustees were mere puppets.

“It is as if Samsuri (Samsuri Tun), Prof Zulkifli (Dr Zulkifli Senteri), Nabil (Muhammad Nabil Saleh) and Khairuddin (Khairuddin Tarmizi) were appointed merely to make up the numbers.

“Zahid was the controlling mind behind Yayasan Akalbudi and on top of that, he was the sole authorised signatory of Yayasan Akalbudi cheques, so he authorised all of its bank accounts. The accused was in the position to make use of the trust funds, according to his whim and fancy,” she said in her submission at the end of the prosecution’s case in Zahid’s corruption trial.

She said Zahid also had the ability to dictate the inflow and outflow of Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

“It is the prosecution’s contention that the accused had in fact exercised that dominion when he dishonestly misappropriated Yayasan Akalbudi funds for his personal gain,” Raja Rozela said.

Raja Rozela further submitted that on April 4, 2012, Zahid made himself the sole signatory for Yayasan Akalbudi’s bank account.

“The said resolution was signed by the accused, Nabil and Khairuddin. The change in signatory took effect on June 20, 2013, as indicated in the signature maintenance form (borang kemaskini tandatangan),” she added.

Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges – 12 of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption, and 27 of money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

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