Zahid Hamidi Freed Of All Bribery Charges
The UMNO president was acquitted of all 40 charges of receiving bribes from a company to extend its foreign visa system (VLN) contract.
The Shah Alam High Court today, 23 September, freed UMNO president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of all 40 charges of receiving bribes from a company to extend its foreign visa system (VLN) contract
High Court judge Datuk Yazid Mustafa ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the former deputy prime minister, adding that witnesses who testified against Zahid were not credible and that the testimony provided was not trustworthy and could not be relied on.
The judge said that even though there were suggestions that Zahid had received money, there was no sufficient evidence to prove it, reported New Straits Times.
Former Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun, former UKSB directors Harry Lee Vui Khiun, and Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani were the witnesses, reported Malaysiakini.
Zahid was charged with 40 counts of receiving and obtaining bribes from UKSB between 2014 and 2018 when he was the home minister
The Bagan Datuk member of parliament (MP) was slapped with 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to RM42 million from UKSB to extend the firm's contract as the operator of a one-stop centre in China and the VLN system as well as to maintain a contract for the supply of the VLN integrated system.
The former home minister was also accused of another seven counts of obtaining for himself RM3 million, CHF15,000, and USD15,000 from the same company in connection with his official duties.
Zahid had pleaded not guilty.
Image via Aswadi Alias/New Straits Times
Meanwhile, Najib Razak, who is serving his 12-year jail sentence, is allegedly being accorded special treatment:
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