VLN case: Zahid acquitted from all 40 corruption charges

SHAH ALAM - Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is acquitted and discharged by the High Court for the 40 charges of receiving bribes relating to the Foreign Visa System, here, today.

Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa ruled it after finding the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case at the end of the prosecution against the former deputy prime minister.

The Umno President who was clad in a white baju Melayu was seen to be content after hearing the decision.

After the decision, the public who attended the hearing at the public gallery had stood up and applauded before being asked by the judge to stop.

Zahid was charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to SG$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) 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 Member of Parliament 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.