KUALA LUMPUR – The high court here was today told that despite not carrying out any business activities, a company implicated in Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption case saw large withdrawals and deposits made to its bank account.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer Mohd Zamri Abdul Rashid, 36, said investigations found that Berani & Jujur Trading, whose registered address is an apartment unit, had no employees and did not carry out any business.
“Financially, I found that the company’s account was too active, with large withdrawals and deposits made.
“According to the Companies Commission of Malaysia, the firm is involved in the agriculture and textile businesses.
“Further investigations and a raid on the premises (apartment) found no sign of such businesses being carried out,” he said in reply to deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi on the 47th day of former deputy prime minister Zahid’s trial.
Zamri, who is the 92nd prosecution witness, said two other companies allegedly involved in the case, namely Jogabonito Jewellery & Diamonds and Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, were found to not have carried out business activities, too.
The two also have an apartment unit listed as their registered addresses.
On his 11th, 12th and 13th charges, Zahid is accused of receiving bribes from Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services in the form of a cheque worth RM250,000 belonging to Jogabonito Jewellery & Diamonds; 13 cheques totalling RM8 million belonging to Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services; and, 10 cheques totalling RM5 million belonging to Berani & Jujur Trading.
All the cheques were received by Zahid through Junaith Asharab Md Shariff using a Maybank account belonging to Messrs Lewis & Co, allegedly as gratification for himself as the then home minister to help Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services secure MYEG projects under the ministry’s purview.
Previously, the court was told that Messrs Lewis & Co was a trustee of Yayasan Akalbudi, which is owned by Zahid.
Asked why he disagrees with the defence’s suggestion that he was biased in his investigations into the three companies, Zamri said his probe began in June 2018, and he was able to gather all the evidence even if it was obtained after the prosecution has taken place.
“All 24 original cheques from the three firms were obtained after Zahid was prosecuted, because the banks needed time to surrender the original cheques and could provide only the copies first.”
Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges, 12 of which are for criminal breach of trust, corruption (8) and money laundering (27) involving millions of ringgit in Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
The trial before justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues. – Bernama, March 5, 2021
