THE hearing ended early early today in the corruption trial of Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to allow the accused to get his Covid-19 vaccine booster dose.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the hearing to continue tomorrow after the defence summarised their submission-in-reply to Zahid’s eight corruption charges.

“The accused person will take his booster shot later so we are adjourned this morning,” Collin said.

Zahid’s lead counsel, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik informed the court that the defence will commence a reply tomorrow to the 27 money-laundering charges facing his client.

Zahid, 68, is on trial for 47 charges.

Apart from corruption and money laundering, he is also charged with criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.

Last week the defence submitted a reply to the CBT charges, saying it was Zahid’s former executive secretary Major Mazlina Mazlan@Ramly who was the “culprit”.

They blamed her for using the foundation’s money to pay Zahid’s personal credit card bills, motor insurance policies and road taxes with Yayasan Akalbudi funds.

Today Teh reiterated the defence’s argument that the prosecution has not proved corruption on Zahid’s part.

The lawyer said Yayasan Akalbudi had conducted “open transactions” that had “no element of secrecy”.

“The money trail is there; the cheques can be traced. There are proper records,” Teh told the court. 

He repeated that there had been no witnesses who had come forth to say their “political donations” were bribes for Zahid.

Businessman Junaith Asharab Md Shariff had appeared to testify for the prosecution but his status was changed to hostile witness after he changed his testimony. 

Junaith, in his witness statement, said that in return for his donation, Zahid promised him projects from MyEG Services Bhd worth RM50 million after the 2018 general election.

However, when questioned by the lawyers after reading his statement, Junaith said he did not directly speak to Zahid on any of the matters.

The trial started on November 18, 2019 and has now reached the end of the prosecution’s case. – November 29, 2021.