Pressed for details, Zahid says prosecution trying to 'trap' him

Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is making his defence on corruption charges involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds, told the court today that the prosecution was trying to trap him by repeating questions on the same issue.

Zahid, 69, said this after deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong pushed him for details on donations given to the foundation.

The former deputy prime minister had replied that it sufficed for him to see the monthly bank statements and the ledger which recorded the transfer of the foundation's funds into the client's account at the law firm of Messrs Lewis & Co, which was entrusted with managing the fund.

"The donation was not made in my name, but to a foundation, and if the foundation is managed by a law firm and it is clear the donation had been credited, it is immoral to ask who the giver is or whether the money has been credited… putting this question to me repeatedly, is to trap me," he said.

Harris Ong however told the court that the prosecution was only trying to seek justice, adding that the facts needed to be presented so that the court could make a decision.

Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Zahid, was not satisfied with the explanation, and said that the prosecution could bring the matter up during submissions.

High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah however later asked the deputy public prosecutor to continue with his questions.

When asked a similar question by the deputy public prosecutor, the Bagan Datuk MP told the court that there were three different dates and that it was impossible for him to remember.

"I was not shown the original cheques, but there was a monthly statement that matched the ledger," he said.

Earlier, Harris Ong referred Zahid to 11 cheques amounting to RM3.8 million from various individuals and corporate bodies for donations to Yayasan Akalbudi. The money was credited into a customer's account at Lewis & Co.
 
Zahid said he did not know who the owner of the cheques were as he had never seen the cheques physically.

On Jan 24, the court ordered Zahid to enter his defence on 47 charges: 12 of breach of trust, eight charges of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit of funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

The trial before judge Sequerah continues.