PUTRAJAYA - Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi remains a free man after the Court of Appeal today maintained his acquittal from 40 charges of accepting bribes from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) in relation to the Foreign Visa System (VLN) system.
A three-man Court of Appeal panel chaired by judge Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali made the decision after deputy public prosecutor Datuk Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim told the court that the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has withdrawn its appeals on the case.
"Following the AG and the prosecution's application to withdraw the appeals against the respondent (Zahid), with this, the court strikes out the appeals," he said.
Also presiding were judges Datuk Azman Abdullah and Datuk Azmi Ariffin.
On June 2019, Zahid was charged at the Shah Alam Sessions Court with 40 counts of receiving bribes from UKSB in relation to the VLN system.
Thirty three of the charges were for accepting SG$13.56 million (RM47.08 million) for himself as Home Minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop centre (OSC) service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain its contract agreement with the Home Ministry for the supply of the VLN integrated system.
On another seven counts, the Bagan Datuk MP was charged with obtaining for himself SG$1,150,000, RM3.125 million, 15,000 Swiss Franc and US$15,000 from the same company which he knew had links with his official function.
He was charged with committing the offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.
On Sept 23, 2022, the Umno president was acquitted and discharged by the Shah Alam High Court after the court found that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie at the end of its case.
On Dec 29, last year, the prosecution filed petition of appeal against the High Court's decision acquitting Zahid from the charges.
The prosecution submitted 14 reasons focused on the findings of fact and law made by trial judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa on the question of whether there was bribery in the giving and receiving of money in the case.
The prosecution claimed that Yazid erred in terms of facts and law when he ruled that it had failed to prove a prima facie case and failed to comprehensively assess evidence given to prove every element of the charges faced by Zahid.