Former Sime Darby CEO acquitted of CBT, fraud

The Sessions Court here today acquitted and discharged former president and chief executive officer of Kumpulan Sime Darby Berhad Datuk Seri Ahmad Zubair Murshid of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and fraud.

Judge Zulqarnain Hassan made the decision after Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said he no longer intended to continue with the prosecution against Ahmad Zubair, 58.

He said the charges had been withdrawn after the Attorney-General's Department accepted and was satisfied with the representation put up by the accused through his counsel, Datuk Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden, on July 22.

Ahmad Akram requested that the accused be discharged not amounting to an acquittal according to Section 254 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"After receiving a briefing from the Attorney-General and considering all aspects of the law and the facts, the prosecution decided not to continue with the case because we feel that the prosecution did not reach a standard beyond reasonable doubt," said Ahmad Akram.

On July 17, 2012, was charged with two counts of CBT involving more than RM100 million under Section 409 of the Penal Code.

The charges were in connection with the acquisition of land in Sarikei under the Sarawak Upstream Expansion Plan.

He was also charged with two alternative charges of cheating under Section 418 of the Penal Code.

Under these two charges, he was accused of failing to inform Sime Darby's board of directors on Nov 28, 2008 and Dec 4, 2009 respectively that the NCR lands in Sarikei had instead been awarded to Vertical Drive and Nature Ambience.