Zahid slapped with another CBT charge

KUALA LUMPUR: Umno president Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing calls to resign amid an exodus of party members, has been charged with yet another criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM10mil.

Ahmad Zahid pleaded not guilty when the charge was read out before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob here.

The Bagan Datuk MP, who was entrusted with Yayasan Akalbudi’s RM10mil, was accused of committing CBT by dishonestly giving loans to Armada Holdings Sdn Bhd.

Yayasan Akalbudi is the familyrun foundation.

The 65-year-old was said to have committed the offence at Affin Bank Bhd Jalan Bunus branch, off Jalan Masjid India, here on Dec 8, 2015.

With the additional charge read out yesterday, the former deputy prime minister is now facing 46 charges – 11 counts of CBT involving RM20,833,733.69, eight graft charges amounting to RM21,250,000 and 27 money-laundering charges totalling RM72,063,618.15.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran told Rozina that there were amendments relating to the first 10 of the CBT charges.

The amendments were to add further details on how the CBT offences were committed.

For example, the fourth charge stated that Ahmad Zahid had dishonestly used RM708,134.47 which was owned by Yayasan Akalbudi to pay his five AmIslamic Bank credit cards at Affin Bank Bhd Jalan Bunus branch between Jan 27 and Aug 21, 2015.

Following that, Rozina ordered for the 10 charges be read out again to Ahmad Zahid, who again, claimed trial.

She fixed Feb 20 for mention.