KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution has failed to prove a prima facie case in all 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges against Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi involving Yayasan Akalbudi funds as his former aide had control and custody over the cheque books belonging to Yayasan and the former deputy prime minister, the High Court was told today.
Defence counsel Hamidi Mohd Noh said the issuance of all 52 cheques in the 12 CBT charges is linked to Ahmad Zahid's former executive secretary, Mejar Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, who is the 90th prosecution witness (SP90).
"For the 12 CBT charges, SP90 is the prosecution's most important witness because at the material time, she managed the financial affairs of Yayasan Akalbudi, particularly on making payments for Yayasan's account.
"Mejar Mazlina had full control, possession and custody of all cheque books belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi and the accused, and she was the only one who held the keys to the drawer where the cheques were kept, even the accused did not have the keys.
"It is SP90's evidence that she also has been managing the accused's personal matters, particularly the accused's personal finances including his personal cheques. These tasks were taken upon the pass over of duties from Datuk Rosnah (accused's previous executive secretary) to SP90," he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution's case before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Hamidi said it was thus safe to infer that the accused himself did not have the liberty, nor access, to prepare the relevant cheques.
"A close scrutiny of the circumstances on how and why the cheques were issued, will show that criminal liability cannot be attached to the accused," he said.
The lawyer said out of 52 cheques, 44 were related to credit card charges.
Hamidi further submitted that there was no criminal liability on the accused in respect of the 32 stamped cheques used for the credit card payments.
He said his client did not put the stamped signatures on all the 32 cheques, and there was no evidence that the stamp was in the accused's possession, however, unequivocal evidence said SP90 did so.
"Culpability must be attached to SP90 as she had negligently stamped the cheques. Despite her evidence that the accused had given consent (which was challenged), her evidence on this point and others where she tries to implicate the accused does not inspire confidence.
"There is a further reason why the evidence from SP90 where she said the accused consented to the 'stamp' being used for the cheque purposes cannot be credible. The reason is the prosecution did not produce any authorisation for the bank to clear its cheques with stamped signatures instead of them being handwritten," he said.
Ahmad Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges - 12 on CBT, eight on corruption and 27 on money laundering-involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB.
For the 12 CBT charges, Ahmad Zahid is alleged to have used the funds to make payments for personal credit card bills, insurance policies and licences for his personal vehicles, besides remittances to a law firm and contributions to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) football association under Section 409 of the Penal Code.
The defence will continue with its submissions tomorrow.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Sep 07 2021
Ahmad Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges - 12 on CBT, eight on corruption and 27 on money laundering - involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi. - BERNAMA
Pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula 23 September lalu.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Laporan Al Jazeera menyebut, jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
AWANI Pagi: Pendayaupayaan Pembangunan Sosio Ekonomi Bagi Memacu Wilayah Persekutuan
Ikuti temu bual bersama Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa di #AWANIPagi jam 7.30 pagi di saluran 501 Astro AWANI.
Pentagon, Jabatan Negara AS beri amaran jenayah perang Israel
Pegawai-pegawai tersebut telah memberi amaran peningkatan jumlah kematian di Gaza mungkin melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa.
200,000 pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula pada 23 Sept.
Belanjawan 2025: Kesalinghubungan internet di sekolah, kampus jadi keutamaan - Fahmi
Kementerian Komunikasi akan memberikan keutamaan dengan meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan memantapkan lagi prasarana kesalinghubungan melibatkan isu Internet, dalam Belanjawan 2025 yang akan dibentangkan pada 18 Okt ini.
Setahun solidariti, sokongan global untuk Palestin di tengah-tengah genosid berterusan Israel
Ribuan manusia di seluruh dunia turun ke jalanan untuk menyuarakan sokongan kepada Palestin dan menuntut keadilan.
Indonesia kecewakan China, raih kejuaraan badminton berpasukan campuran remaja dunia
Indonesia menewaskan China untuk muncul Juara Badminton Berpasukan Campuran Remaja Dunia dengan kemenangan 110-103 (mata terkumpul).
Bomba selamatkan tiga subkontrakor terkandas di kren pengangkat
Ketiga-tiga mangsa lelaki itu masing-masing berusia 24, 26 dan 32 tahun terkandas dengan anggaran ketinggian dua tingkat.
Sedia infrastruktur sesuai sokong industri e-sukan - Ahmad Zahid
Latihan dan bimbingan tidak seharusnya tertumpu kepada usaha melahirkan seorang atlet e-sukan semata-mata, tetapi juga sebagai pencipta kandungan digital atau pembangun perisian.
Hi-TVET akan terus diperkukuh dengan program berimpak tinggi - Ahmad Zahid
Ini termasuk memilih Melaka sebagai pusat Hi-TVET di UTeM menerusi program kecerdasan buatan (AI), Internet Kebendaan (IoT) dan robotik.
PM mahu rumah Orang Asli dibina ikut budaya mereka - Ahmad Zahid
Perdana Menteri mahu pembinaan rumah bagi penempatan masyarakat Orang Asli didirikan mengikut cita rasa dan budaya masyarakat itu.
Akademi Keselamatan Siber ditubuh untuk tampung lebih 26,000 kekosongan tenaga kerja - Ahmad Zahid
Akademi Keselamatan Siber akan ditubuh bagi menampung lebih 26,000 kekosongan tenaga kerja dalam bidang itu.
TPM Ahmad Zahid ucap tahniah kepada Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin juarai Terbuka China
Ahmad Zahid menyifatkan kemenangan ke atas He Ji Ting-Ren Xiang Yu pada aksi final semalam sebagai suatu yang bukan mudah untuk digapai.
140,000 huffaz cilik bakal lahir menerusi Tabika Pra-Tahfiz Kemas pada 2026 - Ahmad Zahid
Seramai 140,000 kanak-kanak huffaz cilik bakal dilahirkan menerusi Program Taman Bimbingan Kanak-Kanak (Tabika) Pra-Tahfiz Kemas.
Kerajaan sedia teliti konsep rumah transit bangsa Johor - TPM Ahmad Zahid
Hanya kerajaan Johor yang memberikan kemudahan menyewa rumah dengan sebahagian daripada harga sewa menjadi tabungan untuk pembayaran deposit rumah seterusnya.
Pameran produk halal perlu diselaras agar impak meluas - Ahmad Zahid
Beliau berkata Malaysia mempunyai pelbagai pameran produk halal antaranya MIHAS, Halfest, dan KUD, namun tujuannya hanya satu iaitu memenuhi pasaran domestik dan antarabangsa.
Banjir: Ahmad Zahid seru orang ramai patuhi arahan dan berjaga-jaga
Orang ramai diseru mematuhi arahan pihak berkuasa dan mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga berikutan amaran ribut petir, hujan lebat dan angin kencang.
Kerajaan akan lihat usaha jangka panjang kaedah penjagaan pokok tua
Kerajaan akan melihat usaha jangka panjang bagi penjagaan pokok khususnya yang telah tua tanpa menggunakan kaedah tebang semata-mata,