KUALA LUMPUR – Former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi can now travel to perform his umrah after the high court here today allowed his application for his passport to be released.
High court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah granted the Umno president’s application after lead prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran said the prosecution had received instruction not to object to the application.
She further said as the dates Zahid needed to perform the umrah clashed with the trial dates of April 26 to April 28, the vacated days should be replaced with new dates.
Earlier, Zahid’s lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said the defence hoped his client’s passport would be released today as he needed it for his visa application.
“My client will be away from April 21 to April 30 and pledged the passport is to be returned before May 5,” he said.
Justice Sequerah then fixed April 13 and April 15 as well as July 1 as the substitution dates for trial.
Before this, the court had fixed May 23 to May 26, June 27 to June 30, July 4 to July 7, August 22, August 23, August 29 and August 30, September 19 to September 22 and September 26 to September 29, October 17 to October 20 and October 31, and November 1 to November 3, November 7 to November 10 for trial.
On April 13, Zahid will testify in his defence trial on 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving Akalbudi Foundation funds.
On January 24 this year, justice Sequerah ordered Zahid to enter his defend on all charges after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case.
In October last year, the high court also allowed a temporary return of his impounded passport to enable him to seek medical treatment from a leading specialist in Munich, Germany, for back and neck pain. – Bernama, April 8, 2022
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