AG drops appeal against DPM Zahid’s foreign visa acquittal

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 12 — The Attorney-General Chambers (AGC) has discontinued its appeal against Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s acquittal of 40 corruption charges in the foreign visa system (VLN) contract.

Datuk Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim, the deputy head of appellate and trial division in the AGC, made the disclosure in the Court of Appeal hearing today when Ahmad Zahid’s representations on the matter was raised.

Ahmad Zahid had previously submitted two representations on January 26, 2023 and February 7, 2024 for the AGC’s consideration.

“After considering the representations made and taking account of the High Court judge’s findings, the AGC is of the view that there is a strong legal and factual basis to maintain the High Court’s ruling.

“Therefore, the Attorney General is withdrawing all the appeals filed,” Yusaini said.

Following this, Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali, who chaired the three-judge Bench, struck out the appeal.

The other judges on the panel are Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk Azman Abdullah.

In explaining the AGC’s reason for withdrawingl, Yusaini said there were no testimonies in the case to demonstrate how Ahmad Zahid had directly used his position to award contracts which were the subject matter in the trial.

“Testimonies have shown that the contracts were awarded before the respondent was appointed home minister and this has negated opportunities for the respondent to abuse his powers.

“Testimonies in the case also revealed that the disputed contract extension process has been undertaken systematically and in accordance with standard operating procedures.

“A ledger recorded by the 17th prosecution witness also showed various financial transactions involving names of multiple individuals, however, there was no record to show that these transactions and named individuals were investigated.

“The matter that has been raised clearly demonstrates serious gaps in the chain of evidence,” he said.

Yusaini also said the trial judge also made several factual findings involving the source of funds allegedly received and several individuals claimed to be its source were not called for investigation and during trial.

“No evidence was also presented regarding the entry process of several prosecution witnesses into the respondent’s residences,” he said.

Outside the courtroom, Ahmad Zahid told reporters he is grateful to both his counsel and the AGC for their tireless effort in seeing his representations through.

“Alhamdulillah,” he said.

Ahmad Zahid’s lead defence lawyer Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik echoed the same.

He said the AGC’s withdrawal meant the High Court judge did not err in his decision to acquit Ahmad Zahid at the prima facie stage.

“It came as a good surprise,” Hisyam said when asked if he had expected today’s outcome.

On September 23, 2022, the High Court acquitted and discharged Ahmad Zahid of all the charges after ruling that the prosecution had not made out a prima facie case against him.

The prosecution then filed its notice of appeal to the Court of Appeal.

In the VLN case, Ahmad Zahid, who was at the time the home minister, was alleged to have committed those offences at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya and Country Heights, Kajang, between October 2014 and March 2018.

This is Ahmad Zahid’s first acquittal.

Previously, he was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal by the High Court on September 8, 2023 after standing trial for allegedly dishonestly misappropriating RM31 million from the charitable organisation Yayasan Akalbudi he founded.