KUALA LUMPUR – The High Court here was told today that almost RM100 million was deposited into the accounts of Lewis & Co, the trustee of Yayasan Akalbudi belonging to former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, between May 2016 and April 2018.Dataran Maybank branch manager Leong Siew Kong, 56, said based on the financial statements of the legal firm, a total amount of RM99,532,364.25 was deposited into the accounts via 129 transactions.
“A total of 112 of the 129 transactions were made via cheques and the rest were credited,” he said when reading out his witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nur Aishah Maulat Ahmad Zakiuddin.
He said this on the 19th day of the trial of Ahmad Zahid, who is facing 47 charges of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money laundering.
Meanwhile, during re-examination by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Sazilee Abdul Khairi, the 39th prosecution witness said deposits and withdrawals in the accounts of Lewis & Co were normal transactions which did not raise a red flag under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLA) 2001.
Leong agreed with Ahmad Sazilee that the amounts involved did not raise suspicion or trigger the AMLA red flag.
The witness said all the transactions, whether from the current account or fixed deposit account of the client, were normal transactions made in accordance with conditions set by the bank.
“For all accounts, there must be a letter of undertaking. Accounts cannot be opened without this letter because that is the procedure (of the bank),” he added.
Ahmad Zahid, 67, is facing 47 charges with 12 of them for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering, involving millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Friday.
— BERNAMA
