KUALA LUMPUR – The board of trustees (BoT) of Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) were mere “puppets” controlled by Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, and their appointments were just to make up the numbers in the foundation, the high court heard today.
Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran said none of the board members had made a single contribution and that all instructions came from Zahid.
“YAB was basically his (Zahid) because he is the main contributor to that foundation. The other trustees are mere puppets. It is as if (Mohd) Samsuri (Tun), Prof Zulkifli (Senteri), (Muhammad) Nabil (Saleh) and Datuk Khairuddin (Tarmizi) were appointed merely to make up the numbers (in the board).
“Zahid was the controlling mind behind YAB and on top of that, he was the sole authorised signatory of YAB cheques... the accused was in the position to make use of the trust funds according to his whim and fancies,” she said in her submission at the end of the prosecution’s case in Zahid corruption trial.
She added that Zahid also had the power to dictate the inflow and outflow of YAB funds.
“It is the prosecution’s contention that the accused had in fact exercised that dominion when he dishonestly misappropriated YAB funds for his personal gain,” Rozela said.
Rozela further submitted that, on April 4, 2012, Zahid had made himself the sole signatory of YAB’s bank account.
“The said resolution was signed by the accused, Nabil and Khairuddin. The change in signatory took effect on June 20, 2013, as indicated in the Signature Maintenance Form (Borang Kemaskini Tandatangan),” she added.
Zahid, 68, faces 47 charges – 12 for CBT, eight for corruption, and 27 for money laundering – involving tens of millions in YAB funds.
The hearing of the submission before justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow. – Bernama, October 12, 2021
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