RM5.9 mln for purchase of bungalow lots come from donations - Zahid's lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR: The money used to purchase two bungalow lots in Country Heights, Kajang, Selangor worth RM5.9 million by Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) owned by Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi came from two donors and were not proceeds from illegal activities, the High Court heard today.

Lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, who represented Ahmad Zahid, said the money came from textile wholesaler Junaith Asharab Md Shariff and jeweller Mubarak Hussain Akhtar Husin, who were the prosecution witnesses.

"The witnesses appeared before his lordship and gave evidence. They said there was no element of corruption. We submit that the prosecution has failed to prove that the RM5.9 million are proceeds from illegal activities," he said in his submission at the end of the prosecution's case before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Hisyam said Mubarak had also donated for the building of a school in Melaka while Junaith made donations for a mosque and tahfiz school in Bagan Datuk, Perak.

The lawyer submitted that the defence conceded that the instruction for the purchase of the bungalow lots came from the accused and the two lots were transferred to Yayasan Al-Falah (YAF).

"It is the defence case that the lots were a donation to YAF as both 'yayasan' (foundations) share similar objectives," he said.

The two bungalows were turned into a religious centre for YAF, which belongs to Ahmad Zahid's family and is run by his younger brother, Datuk Seri Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi.

Ahmad Zahid, 68, is facing 47 charges - 12 for CBT, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering - involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

The defence will continue its submission tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA