Zahid ready to walk free as prosecution applies for acquittal

The defence team for Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is arguing for a full acquittal of the charges against him in his Yayasan Akalbudi trial, which would allow him to leave a free man if the Kuala Lumpur High Court agrees. 

According to The Malay Mail, the prosecution has meanwhile applied for a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, which would allow Zahid to face trial again for the same charges if they are reinstated. 

Zahid, the Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman, sent a letter of representation to the Attorney-General’s Chambers in January for the 47 charges of criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering against him to be dropped.

He faces 12 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight of corruption, and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

Among the CBT charges is that he allegedly settled his credit card debts using Yayasan Akalbudi through 44 cheques amounting to some RM1.3 million between January 2013 and December 2016.