KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the corruption trial of Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi involving Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) wants the High Court to reject parts of a witness statement by his press secretary that “attacked” the credibility of the prosecution’s star witness.
Major-General (R) Datuk Fadzlette Othman Merican Idris Merican, the second defence witness, could only warm up the witness bench at the High Court yesterday morning without reading her witness statement, as deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran stood up to object.
Although the written witness statement was not verbally read out in court, it was deemed as read.
The prosecution took issue with parts of Fadzlette’s witness statement – from paragraphs 16 to 30 – that touched on Ahmad Zahid’s former executive secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly, and wanted those parts to be expunged.
DPP Raja Rozela said the statements were put in the witness statement to damage the character of Major Mazlina.
“But Major Mazlina’s credibility had already been challenged during the defence’s cross-examination,” the prosecutor said.
DPP Raja Rozela said Section 153 of the Evidence Act 1950 should be applied to ensure evidence with regard to credibility, which had been raised before, could not be raised again.
She said Major Mazlina’s credibility as a witness was not the main issue in the trial as the trial’s main subject was the charges against Ahmad Zahid.
“(Otherwise) there will be no end to collateral issues,” she added.
According to DPP Raja Rozela, the High Court has the power to control the evidence that should be introduced through witness statements but must remain relevant to the facts or issues in the trial.
DPP Raja Rozela urged the court to reject the parts in Fadzlette’s statement.
Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik requested that the defence be given time until this morning to reply to the prosecution’s objection.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah then adjourned the hearing to today.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 47 charges – 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering – involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB.
