SHAH ALAM, Sept 7 — The High Court today fixed September 23 to deliver its decision on whether Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi will be acquitted or ordered to enter his defence on accepting bribes in his official capacity as former home minister from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) over the government’s award of a foreign visa system (VLN).
High Court judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa is set to deliver his verdict on whether a prima facie case has been made or Ahmad Zahid should be acquitted and subsequently discharged.
The aforementioned date was fixed after oral submissions from parties lasting four days from September 1 to 5, and concluded today.
The trial began on May 24 last year and stretched to 29 hearing days with the prosecution closing its case on August 11 after calling a total of 18 witnesses.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also a former deputy prime minister, was represented in court by lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal and Hamidi Mohd Noh.
The prosecution meanwhile comprised deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran, Datuk Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin, Abdul Malik Ayob and Zander Lim Wei Keong.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million (RM42 million) from UKSB as an inducement for himself in his capacity as a civil servant and the then home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the One Stop Centres in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain the agreement to supply VLN integrated system paraphernalia to the same company by the Home Ministry.
Ahmad Zahid was charged with another seven counts as home minister who obtained S$1.15 million, RM3 million, CHF15,000 and US$15,000 in cash from the same company for himself in connection with his official work.
He is accused of committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Presint 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
