Zahid Hamidi’s corruption charges may be dropped tomorrow

Prosecution to inform the judge tomorrow about an MACC investigation and whether the attorney-general’s chambers has decided on representations made by the defence.

(FMT) – Deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial on corruption charges is scheduled to resume tomorrow, but there remains a possibility that the charges could be dropped.

The trial had been adjourned on April 10 after Zahid’s lawyer told the court that Zahid had sent representations to the attorney-general’s chambers (AGC) about new evidence in the case.

At the previous hearing, deputy public prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob said the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission was conducting further investigations into the matter.

The AGC could consider Zahid’s representations only after the commission completed its investigation, he said.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah then adjourned the hearing to nine days in August, beginning with Aug 1-3.

Should the AGC accept Zahid’s representations, the charges against him could be withdrawn and he would be acquitted of all charges over alleged misappropriation of funds from Yayasan Akalbudi.

Zahid had been ordered to enter his defence to all 47 charges involving 12 charges of criminal breach of trust, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering.

He is accused of embezzling millions of ringgit from Yayasan Akalbudi and accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as the home minister between 2013 and 2018.