KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 16 — Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial over alleged criminal breach of trust (CBT) of over RM31 million of his charity Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds is now set to continue on previously scheduled hearing dates in April, instead of dates previously fixed this month.
Lead prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran this morning told the court that the prosecution and the defence had agreed on additional hearing dates for the trial from June to August.
“My Lord, the accused or rather should I say the DPM is present in the dock, today is fixed for mention for purpose of fixing more trial dates for continued hearing of the defence case,” she said.
She listed the additional trial dates agreed by both sides as June 12 to June 15, July 24 to July 27, August 1 to 3, August 7 to 10, and August 21 to 24.
High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah took note of these additional trial dates and said the previously-scheduled trial dates in April will be maintained.
Previously, Zahid’s trial was scheduled to be held from January 16 (today) to January 19, but today was rescheduled to be for mention.
The last time that Zahid’s case was called up in the High Court was on November 2, 2022, when the trial was set to continue with defence witnesses to testify for Zahid.
But the trial did not go on November 2 or the remaining trial dates in 2022 of November 3, 9 and 10 due to a witness being sick and as Zahid was at that time pursuing an appeal to be heard on November 14 by the Court of Appeal.
The November 14 hearing was for Zahid’s appeal on his previous failed bid to obtain the statements given by 15 potential defence witnesses to investigators from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and the police. But on November 12, Zahid was reported to have withdrawn the appeal.
On November 2, the High Court had set 21 additional hearing dates from January to May (January 16 to 19, January 30 to 31, February 7 to 9, March 27 to 30, April 10 to 13, and May 15 to 18) to replace the cancelled or vacated trial dates in November 2022.
Today, however, it is understood that the January to March trial dates had been vacated previously and no longer apply.
Following today’s mention, Zahid’s trial will next resume on April 10 until April 13, May 15 to May 18, as well as the additional trial dates of June to August.
Following the 15th general election held on November 19, Zahid was named as one of the two deputy prime ministers on December 2 and was sworn in to the position on December 3, 2022. Zahid is also the rural and regional development minister.
Zahid, who is also Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, is facing 47 charges.
The 47 charges are namely, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust in relation to over RM31 million of charitable foundation Yayasan Akalbudi’s funds, 27 counts of money-laundering, and eight counts of bribery charges over RM21.25 million in alleged bribes.
Yayasan Akalbudi was founded with the purported objectives of receiving and administering funds for the eradication of poverty and enhancing the welfare of the poor.
On January 24, 2022, the High Court had ordered Zahid to enter his defence on all 47 charges, after having previously heard evidence from 99 prosecution witnesses.
Zahid had begun his defence on April 13, 2022 by testifying as the first defence witness, with six defence witnesses including him having made it to the witness stand.
