Prosecution files appeal against Zahid's acquittal in VLN graft case

The prosecution yesterday filed an appeal against the the High Court's decision to acquit former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi of 40 charges of receiving bribes in connection with the foreign visa system (VLN).

Attorney-General Idrus Harun, when contacted, confirmed the matter.

"Yes, the prosecution filed an appeal against the decision of the High Court in Zahid’s case this afternoon," he said.

On Sept 23, High Court judge Mohd Yazid Mustafa acquitted Zahid, 69, who is also Umno president, after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie at the end of its case against him.

The judge ruled, among others, that the three key prosecution witnesses in the case were unreliable and not credible.
 
He also said the three key witnesses had testified that the money was placed in a brown envelope on each occasion of delivery, but that the prosecution had not produced any sample envelope as evidence.

"No evidence was led to show the size of the envelope used. I simply cannot imagine what envelope, in what size, could fit in the S$600,000 in cash which was equivalent to about RM1.6 million at the material time," he said.

Zahid was charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain its contract agreement with the home ministry for the supply of the VLN integrated system.

On another seven counts, the Bagan Datuk MP was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3.125 million, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company which he knew had links with his official function.

He was charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.