KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi claimed trial to 45 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), graft and money laundering involving millions of ringgit.
The Umno president allegedly committed 10 CBT and eight corruption offences involving over RM42 million, and 27 money laundering offences involving over RM72 million.
Clad in an orange batik shirt, the former deputy prime minister was calm when the charges were read in a packed Sessions Court here this morning.
Present in the public gallery to give moral support to Zahid were his wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis and daughter Datuk Nurulhidayah.
Among party top guns present in the public gallery were Umno deputy chief Datuk Seri Mohamad Hassan, Wanita Umno chief Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad, and Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki.
Zahid spent 55 minutes standing in the dock as the charges were read to him by three interpreters.
The graft charges were for receiving gratification as inducement to help certain companies obtain contracts from the Home Ministry, of which Zahid used to be Home Minister.
The CBT charges were for misusing money belonging to Yayasan Akal Budi, in his capacity as holding trust in the foundation.
The money laundering offences involved alleged deposits of unlawful proceeds into a bank account and buying of two bungalo houses in Kajang, Ulu Langat, Selangor.
The CBT and graft charges involved a total RM42,083,132.99, while the money laundering charges involved a total RM72,063,618.15.
It is understood that part of the amount involved in the money laundering was money linked to the CBT and corruption acts.
The Bagan Datuk member of Parliament was alleged to have committed the CBT and corruption at two banks here between Jan 13, 2014, and March 15 this year.
He was purported to have perpetrated the money laundering at a bank and a moneychanger here between May 27, 2016, and April 11 this year.
All the charges were under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 (MACC), the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFAPUAA) 2001, and the Penal Code.
During proceedings, former Federal Court judge and lawyer Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram - who was appointed as deputy public prosecutor by Attorney-General Tommy Thomas - applied for bail be set at RM2 million with one surety.
However, he opposed an application by Zahid’s counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik for the RM2 million bail to be posted in instalments.
“There should be no exception. All (of the bail amount) must be posted by the same day (today),” Gopal told judge Azura Alwi.
Hisyam countered that there was precedent for allowing bail be posted in instalments.
“In previous cases involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, they were allowed to post their bail in instalments,” he said.
It was reported that former prime minister Najib and his wife Rosmah are separately facing multiple charges linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
Gopal then argued that bail must be paid all on the same day as seen in nearly all criminal cases, unlike select cases like Najib and Rosmah.
However, Azura not only granted RM2 million bail with one surety, but also allowed it to be paid in instalments: RM1 million today and the balance RM1 million by Oct 26.
“This is not the first case before me that I have allowed bail to be posted in instalments,” she said.
She ordered Zahid to surrender his passport to the court, and set mention on Dec 14.
Gopal headed a five-man prosecution team comprising DPPs Ahmad Akram Gharib, Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam, T. Deepa Nair, and Nadia Mohd Izhar.
Apart from Hisyam, Zahid’s twelve-man legal defence team included Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, Hamidi Mohd Noh, Kitson Foong, Syahrul Syazwan Salehin, Mohd Haziq Dhiyauddin, Datuk Rosal Azimin, Mohd Shahril Madisa, Aiman Abdul Rahman, Chew Jee San, Jodia Poh and Asilah Mohamad Shahril.
Zahid was detained at the MACC headquarters
yesterday afternoon to have his statement recorded.
He was previously summoned five times by the MACC to assist its investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds involving Yayasan Akal Budi to the tune of RM800,000.