KUALA LUMPUR – The former Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi started reading his witness statement during his defence proceeding on 47 counts of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money-laundering charges over the funds of Yayasan Akalbudi at the High Court this morning.
He arrived at around 8.55 am and waved to the media practitioners and greeted his supporters.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the President of UMNO looked calm as he took his oath and began reading his statement before High Court Judge, Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
The Jalan Duta Court Complex was rather busy today with the presence of the media and party supporters as another high profile case on tempering the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit report involving former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak was also scheduled to go on trial this morning before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
On 24 January this year, Ahmad Zahid chose to enter his defence under oath from the witness stand on all the charges against him involving multi-millions of Ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi after the prosecution managed to establish prima facie on the case.
Ahmad Zahid pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of criminal breach of trust, 8 counts of corruption and 27 counts of money-laundering involving funds from Yayasan Akalbudi, a foundation he founded.
The case took almost three years of hearing after 99 prosecution witnesses gave their testimonies.
Collin fixed April, May and June 2022 for the hearing of the defence case, however, the dates were amended. The proceeding will now take place on 13 and 15 April, 23-26 May, 27-30 June, 1, 4-7 July, 22, 23, 29 and 30 August, 19-22 and 26-29 September, 17-20 and 31 October, and 1-3 and 7-10 November. -MalaysiaGazette
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