UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has applied to the High Court for a full acquittal in his Yayasan Akalbudi corruption case. The move comes after the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) announced on January 8 that the case required no further action (NFA) due to insufficient evidence to proceed with a trial.
Previously, Zahid had been granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA). He filed the new application on January 28, along with a certificate of urgency.
The case was scheduled to be heard by Justice Nurulhuda Nuraini Nor today, but deputy public prosecutor Badius Zaman Ahmad requested an adjournment, noting that the cause papers were only served to the AGC last Friday (January 30). “We need to file an affidavit in reply,” he said, requesting two weeks to do so. The hearing was then fixed for February 24.
Zahid was represented by lawyers Hisyam Teh Poh Teik and Hamidi Noh.
On September 4, 2024, trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had granted Zahid a DNAA on 47 charges, including corruption, money laundering, and criminal breach of trust, to allow further investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. The judge had earlier ruled that the prosecution had established a prima facie case on all charges. Zahid and several defence witnesses had already given evidence when the AGC applied for the DNAA.
