Zahid Trial Court Hears How Funds From Mysterious Firm Used To Buy Bungalows

---

 


The Kuala Lumpur High Court today heard how millions of ringgit paid to a foundation set up by former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi from a mysterious firm were later used to purchase bungalows in Kajang.
The court previously heard that the firm, Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services (Mastoro Kenny), had no apparent business activities.
Prosecutors have alleged that the firm was used to bribe Zahid in exchange for projects with MyEG, a major IT provider for government services.
However, MyEG had said it has no knowledge of Mastoro Kenny.
MACC officer Mohd Tharuzi Mohd Nor, appearing as the 94th witness in Zahid's graft case, detailed the fund flow that resulted in the purchase of two bungalows.
He said Mastoro Kenny had paid RM5 million in seven cheques to Lewis & Co, which is the law firm acting for Zahid.
The law firm also received another RM2 million from businessperson Mubarak Hussain Akhtar Husin in November 2016.
Below market price
The funds were accepted on behalf of Yayasan Akalbudi, a foundation founded by Zahid. Lewis & Co denies it is the foundation's trustee.
Mubarak, who previously testified as the 62nd witness, claimed the RM2 million was a "sincere contribution" for the maintenance of tahfiz schools owned by Zahid in Malacca.
The sum was then put into a fixed deposit in January 2017. When it was uplifted on Zahid's instruction, the sum including interest gained amounted to RM7,019,680,07.
RM5.9 million from the sum was then paid to Bee Garden Holdings Sdn Bhd, which owned the two bungalows in Country Heights, Kajang.
Businessperson Lee Kim Yew, who is the Country Heights Holdings Bhd chairperson and his wife Tan Bee Hong owned the bungalows through Bee Garden Holdings.


Former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi

Lee previously testified that he had sold the bungalows at below the market price as they were in a state of disrepair.
The purchase of the bungalows was made on behalf of Yayasan Al-Falah, a foundation chaired by Zahid's younger stepbrother Mohamad Nasaee Ahmad Tarmizi.
Previously, Faisalluddin Mohamat Yusuff, a member of Yayasan Al-Falah's board of trustees who testified as the 66th witness told the court that the cheque issued by Lewis & Co was handed over from Nasaee to Bee Garden Holdings.
Faisalluddin, who handled the documentation for the bungalows, said he was informed by Nasaee that the funds were a contribution from Zahid.
Bungalows heavily guarded
The defence claimed the bungalows were purchased for religious purposes.
However, MACC's Tharuzi, under examination by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi, said the bungalows are located in a heavily guarded area, making public access difficult.

Tharuzi said he visited the bungalows twice and did not see any activities there.
He also confirmed that Zahid did not hold any position in Yayasan Al-Falah nor did Nasaee hold any position in Yayasan Akalbudi.
During re-examination, Sazilee also asked Tharuzi if there was anything out of the ordinary with the purchase of the bungalows.
Tharuzi then explained that he did not find any document that showed Yayasan Akalbudi made a contribution to Yayasan Al-Falah.
He added that the contributions from Mastoro Kenny and Mubarak to Lewis & Co were not accompanied by receipts.
Tharuzi said he also found it strange that Yayasan Al-Falah only had three members on its board of trustees, namely Nasaee, Faisalluddin and Mohd Fariz Abdullah who is believed to be in Switzerland and cannot be located.
Zahid is facing a total of 47 charges. They are 12 charges of criminal breach of trust, eight charges of corruption and 27 charges of money laundering involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The hearing today is specific to the 26th charge in which Zahid is accused of using proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM5.9 million to purchase the two bungalows through Lewis & Co.
The hearing, which entered its 48th day today, will resume tomorrow. The case is being presided by High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. - Mkini

---