Witness: Zahid said RM77m was for religious, welfare purposes

ZAHID TRIAL | The 92 cheques worth almost RM77 million that Ahmad Zahid Hamidi instructed to be banked into Yayasan Al-Falah’s account were for “religious and welfare purposes”, a partner at law firm Messrs Lewis & Co told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

The law firm represents Yayasan Al-Falah.

Cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt this morning, the partner, B Muralidharan (above), said a verbal reply from the former deputy prime minister was the only verification he had made with regard to the source of the funds.

Lee: Did you verify the source of the funds or cheques given to you by Datuk Seri (Zahid) before you deposited it (into Yayasan Al-Falah’s account)?

Muralidharan: Your Honour, I did ask him. He told me, these are contributions for religious and welfare purposes.

Lee: Is that the only verification you made?

Muralidharan: Yes that was it.

Muralidharan testified as the 87th witness in the Umno president’s criminal trial in relation to funds belonging to his foundation, Yayasan Akalbudi.

Zahid, the Bagan Datuk MP, is facing 47 charges - 12 for alleged criminal breach of trust, 27 for money laundering and eight for corruption.

[More to follow]