Grounds of judgment for Zahid's acquittal in VLN case

 

Grounds of judgment for Zahid's acquittal in VLN case


Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi was acquitted of all charges in regard to the foreign visa system (VLN) corruption case last Friday.

The High Court judge in Shah Alam, Mohd Yazid Mustafa, ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case and its three key witnesses were unreliable.

On the grounds of judgment, the judge argued that the prosecution had failed to show any evidence - such as CCTV footage, Touch 'n Go transaction slips and phone logs - to prove that Zahid had received millions in bribes from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB).

Mohd Yazid compared it to Rosmah Mansor’s case, where cheques were produced and multiple witnesses such as bank cashiers were called to testify.

However, in Zahid’s case, those involved or who had knowledge of the sources of funds only had their statements recorded but were not called in as witnesses.

The judge also questioned the veracity of the ledger where UKSB officers had recorded transactions.

The inconsistent testimony of the UKSB officers was also cited as a reason for their unreliability as witnesses.

For Malaysiakini’s previous detailed summary of the judgment, click here.