KUALA LUMPUR: Cheques worth over RM99 million had gone into the account of charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi’s trustee, law firm Messrs Lewis & Co, the High Court was told.
This was revealed by Maybank bank manager Leong Siew Kong, 56, when he was asked to verify the cheques that were issued between 2016 and 2018 in 129 transactions.
Leong was testifying as the 39th witness in the criminal trial of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi involving millions of ringgit of funds from the foundation.
Yayasan Akalbudi which was established in 1997 was founded by Zahid.
Asked by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi whether the transactions had ever triggered a red flag on suspicion under the Anti-Money Laundering Act (Amla), the witness said it did not.
“For lawyers' accounts, especially clients’ accounts, it will not trigger (red flag) because it is the trustee for customers.
“Usually it will not trigger as it is normal,” the witness said.
The trial continues before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Friday.
On Oct 19 and Dec 14, 2018 and Feb 20, last year, Zahid pleaded not guilty to a total of 47 charges, 12 of which are for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for bribery and 27 for money-laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.