KUALA LUMPUR – The money used to purchase two bungalow lots in Country Heights, Kajang, Selangor, worth RM5.9 million by Yayasan Akalbudi, owned by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, came from two donors and are not proceeds from illegal activities, the high court heard today.
Lead defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said the sum came from textile wholesaler Junaith Asharab Md Shariff and jeweller Mubarak Hussain Akhtar Husin, who are prosecution witnesses.
“The witnesses appeared before his lordship and gave evidence. They said there was no element of corruption. We submit that the prosecution has failed to prove that the RM5.9 million is proceeds from illegal activities,” he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution’s case before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
He said Mubarak Hussain has also donated towards the construction of a school in Melaka, while Junaith Asharab made donations to a mosque and tahfiz school in Bagan Datuk, Perak.
The defence concedes that the instruction for the purchase of the bungalow lots came from the accused, and the said lots were transferred to Yayasan Al-Falah, he said.
“It is the defence’s case that the lots were a donation to Yayasan Al-Falah as both foundations (Yayasan Al-Falah and Yayasan Akalbudi) share similar objectives.”
The two bungalow lots were used as a religious centre by Yayasan Al-Falah, which belongs to Zahid’s family and is run by his younger brother Datuk Seri Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi.
Zahid, 68, faces 47 charges – 12 for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The defence will continue its submission tomorrow. – Bernama, September 13, 2021
