KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has postponed Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial involving Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) to January next year.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah vacated the remaining four days that had been set for the hearing this month.
Ahmad Zahid’s lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik earlier informed the court that an interlocutory appeal in the case will be heard at the Court of Appeal on Nov 14.
The appeal is about Ahmad Zahid’s request that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) record the statements of 15 witnesses in the case. This request was turned down by Justice Sequerah on May 9.
Hisyam requested the court to vacate the hearings on Wednesday (Nov 2) and Thursday (Nov 3), as well as on Nov 9 and Nov 10, pending the outcome of the Nov 14 appeal.
He said the decision by the Court of Appeal would assist the defence in determining the number and sequence of witnesses.
“There are quite a number of witnesses being offered to the defence, which we will focus upon. But we will need guidance from the Court of Appeal with regard to whether we are able to get their statements or otherwise.
“So, we are in a dilemma. In the name of fairness, we ask the court to wait for the Nov 14 outcome,” Hisyam said here yesterday.
Hisyam also told the court that a witness from Bagan Datuk who was supposed to testify on Wednesday was unwell, and the defence did not have any other witnesses to call for the time being.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Abdul Malik Ayob did not object to the request for a postponement.
“We leave it to the court,” he said.
Justice Sequerah then fixed 21 days to hear the case from January to May next year.
The new dates are Jan 16 to 19, Jan 30, Jan 31, Feb 7 to 9, March 27 to 30, April 10 to 13, and May 15 to 18.
On Feb 18, the defence filed an application to obtain the statements of the 15 witnesses.
On May 9, Justice Sequerah dismissed Ahmad Zahid’s application for the statements, and the appeal against the decision will be heard by the Court of Appeal on Nov 14.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 47 charges, involving 12 for criminal breach of trust (CBT), eight charges for corruption, and 27 for money laundering, involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi, a charitable foundation he founded.
