High Court dismisses Zahid's bid to consolidate CBT charges

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The High Court here has dismissed former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's application to consolidate his 12 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges over funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi, to become three.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah made the decision after finding that the present 12 charges against Ahmad Zahid are clear and the accused could understand them for preparing his defence, thus not raising any issue of prejudice.

"Moreover, Section 153(2) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) does not make it mandatory for the prosecution to combine the charges, ” he said during case management on Friday (Nov 8).

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran appeared for the prosecution while counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik represented Ahmad Zahid, 66.

Raja Rozela told reporters that the accused had filed an application to challenge the constitutionality of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC) 2009 and the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The court fixed Nov 18 to hear the application.

On Oct 19 and Dec 14,2018, as well as Feb 20 this year, Ahmad Zahid had pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here to a total of 47 charges, 12 of which are for CBT, eight for bribery and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi. - Bernama