KUALA LUMPUR: The criminal charges preferred against former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi were based on facts as well as documentary and oral evidence, a witness testified today.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Khairudin Kilau who led the investigation team in Zahid's case, dismissed any notion that the charges only came about due to regime change following the 14th General-Election (GE14).
He disagreed that the charges against Zahid were due to the change of government in 2018.
He said this under cross-examination by Zahid's lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.
Zahid, 68, faces 47 charges, 12 of them for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for corruption and 27 for money-laundering involving millions of ringgit of charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
Hisyam: Do you agree if I say that the charges brought against Zahid were initiated when there was a change of government?
Khairudin: I disagree
Hisyam: Do you agree that all the charges were made when the Pakatan Harapan became the government?
Khairudin: I disagree
Hisyam: I put it to you that the basis of these 47 charges was due to the change of government and politics?
Khairudin: I disagree.
Khairudin who is the final prosecution witness said the charges he had recommended to the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) to be framed against Zahid was not baseless.
He also testified that the charges against Zahid were not politically motivated or made merely because the latter was Umno president at the material time.
"Yes, he (Zahid) was the Umno president at that time but this was not the reason the charges were brought against him," the witness said.
Asked if throughout his 20 years of service at MACC, he had ever heard news about a politician being charged with 47 counts after a regime change, the witness answered in the negative.
During re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran, Khairudin said he did not agree that the charges were politically motivated as it was based on the evidence he obtained through his investigations.
"The IO had recommended for the charges to be made (against Zahid) based on the testimony of witnesses and documents, not because of politics or other matters," the 99th witness said.
Meanwhile, under re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt, Khairudin said Zahid told him that the funds in Yayasan Akalbudi were from him (Zahid).
However, the witness said Zahid never mentioned how much he contributed to the foundation.
Khairudin also agreed that according to the Yayasan Akalbudi bank statements from 1977 to 2018, the foundation received RM100 million.
Lee: If the contributions were made by Zahid, how much is the average amount he needs to contribute in a year?
Khairuddin: In simple mathematics, RM5 million per year is needed to complete the amount of RM100 million.
The prosecution rested its case after Khairudin completed testifying.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then ordered for parties to file in their written submissions by May 28 and reply by June 11.
The judge also fixed June 28 to 30 and July 1 and 2 for oral submissions before deciding whether to acquit Zahid or order him to enter his defence.