SHAH ALAM: So called political contributions delivered by Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd’s (UKSB) officers to Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi personally never went into Umno’s account.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Abdul Malik Ayob told the High Court that the former deputy prime minister had received the gratification for himself although the payments were said to be political contributions.
“Although the defence is saying the money is a political donation, it was not paid to his political party.
“UKSB also never put the money into Umno’s account nor had they obtained receipts for the payments. The accused also did not refuse or ask for the money to be taken away when it was handed to him,” he said in his submission yesterday at the end of the prosecution’s case, Bernama reported.
Abdul Malik said the evidence from three key witnesses comprising two former UKSB directors, namely VK Lee and Wan Quoris Shah Wan Abdul Ghani and UKSB administrative manager David Tan Siong Sun – the 15th, 16th and 17th prosecution witnesses – were consistent on the deliveries of the monies to Ahmad Zahid.
“Lee and Wan Quoris Shah were in agreement when they testified the accused never indicated the amount to be contributed, only the fact that the accused indicated the contributions must be made in cash and in Singapore dollars.
“They also concurred deliveries of the monies were done at Country Heights, Kajang, or Seri Satria, Putrajaya, at night after 10pm. They were also able to describe the accused’s private or official residences and where the deliveries took place in the residences,” he said.
Meanwhile, DPP Zander Lim Wai Keong addressed the defence’s complaint that the public prosecutor had acted unfairly, was biased and adopted selective prosecution against the accused.
“The question to be considered by the court is whether the accused’s right to a fair trial has been infringed upon or not,” he said.
Lim said Ahmad Zahid was represented by a very competent legal team, given the right to cross-examine all the prosecution witnesses and to put up a defence during the prosecution’s case, as well as given a reasonable time frame to file a written submission.
“The accused was also given the right to submit the defence orally at the close of the prosecution’s case and without a doubt, this case is heard before My Lord who is independent and impartial,” he said.
Lim also submitted that there was no violation of the accused’s rights under Article 8(1) of the Federal Constitution.
“The charge faced by the accused is not discriminatory in nature, the accused is given the same procedural rights for relief and for defence just like any other accused in a criminal trial without discrimination.
“The accused is entitled to put forward all his defences including examination of the prosecution’s witnesses,” he added.
Ahmad Zahid, 69, is facing 33 charges of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56mil from UKSB for himself as home minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of OSC service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain the contract agreement to supply the VLN integrated system to the same company by the Home Ministry.
On another seven counts, he was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3mil, 15,000 Swiss francs and US$15,000 from the same company, which had official links with his official duty.
He was charged with committing all the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.
The prosecution will continue its submission before Justice Mohd Yazid Mustafa today.
