OVER RM1M PAID TO FIRM LINKED TO ZAHID’S CASE
Witness tells court money was used to ‘settle problems with gangsters’, for business operations
AWITNESS in Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption trial revealed that his company had issued cheques totalling more than RM1 million under the name of law firm Lewis & Co.
The firm is a trustee for charity foundation Yayasan Akalbudi, from which Zahid is accused of having misappropriated funds.
Cergas Murni Sdn Bhd director Paul Latimer, 78, said part of the money was used to “settle problems with gangsters”, while the rest was for the construction company’s operations.
The payments totalling RM1,011,520 were made via three cheques dated March 29, 2016, April 4, 2016, and April 6, 2016.
During examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong Jeffry Ong, the 73rd prosecution witness said the purpose of the cheque dated March 29, 2016, amounting to RM447,773 was “protection money” for gangsters during the construction project of Klang’s third bridge, which was carried out from 2014 to 2017.
“There were gangsters at the (construction) site (at that time), so we needed money to settle the problem. I told the company chairman, Mohd Shariff Yaakub, and another (business) partner (about the matter), and they said there is a way to settle the problem,” he said at the trial, which entered its 24th day yesterday.
He said the cheques were handed over to one Omar Ali Abdullah, a licensed money changer who handled the payment.
When asked why the recipient section of the cheques was left blank, Latimer said Omar had told him to leave it like that.
During cross-examination by Zahid’s counsel Datuk Rosal Azimin Ahmad, Latimer said the money was also used for the company’s operations and payment to subcontractors, as well as other company-related matters during the construction of the third bridge.
The witness said he could not recall if the company had issues with machinery in 2016.
Asked whether he had any prior dealings with Zahid, who was then deputy prime minister, he replied in the negative and said he knew the latter only through the news and television.
Earlier, another witness testified that his company received RM217,000 in March 2016 as a “friendly loan” from Omar.
HRA Teguh Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Hashim Othman said his company was facing financial difficulties to complete a highway project from Machang to Kuala Krai, in Kelantan.
“I was handling a construction project and at times, the client would make late payments. But the project was in progress and to avoid it being halted, we needed cash,“said the 72nd prosecution witness.
Asked by Harris whether he took the initiative to ask Omar the source of the money, he said he did not.
“To me, what I borrowed, I have paid it back. I have no time to check (where the money came from) as what is important is to ensure the project runs smoothly.”
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 High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on July 14.