Zahid told to enter defence for 47 graft charges on charity funds

The Kuala Lumpur High Court today ordered Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to enter his defence for 47 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

The court set aside 39 days to hear the defence’s case: April 26 to 28, May 23 to 26, June 27 to 30, July 4 to 7, Aug 22, 23, 29 and 30, Sept 19 to 22 and 26 to 29, Oct 17 to 20 and 31, Nov 1 to 3 and 7 to 10.

Zahid, the former deputy prime minister, chose to testify under oath from the witness stand with the prosecution given the opportunity to question him during cross-examination.

The 47 charges are part of a larger slew of 87 slapped on Zahid. They comprise 12 charges of CBT, eight of bribery and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

Sequerah said the prosecution had proven all of the elements of the charges against Zahid.

“I therefore call on the accused to enter his defence for all 12 charges,” he said.

Zahid will take the stand on April 26.

His lawyer Hamidi Mohd Noh told the court that the defence would call about 20 witnesses to testify.

Zahid also faces 40 other charges at the Shah Alam Sessions Court of accepting bribes from a company related to the overseas visa system. That case is fixed for further hearing on Feb 3.