KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 24 — All eyes this morning will be trained on Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah for his decision on whether Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is to enter his defence or be acquitted of 47 criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering charges involving tens of millions of ringgit of Yayasan Akalbudi (YAB) funds.

The judge is scheduled to announce his ruling at the end of the prosecution’s case at 9.30am, with members of the media converging on the Kuala Lumpur High Court from as early as 7 am.

If the court decides in favour of the prosecution that there is a prima facie case against Ahmad Zahid, 69, then he will be called to enter his defence, but if the judge decides otherwise, Ahmad Zahid will be acquitted and discharged.

Should the Bagan Datuk member of parliament is ordered to enter his defence, the court has previously fixed 18 days beginning March 28 to hear testimonies from him and other defence witnesses.

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Ahmad Zahid, the former deputy prime minister has been charged with 12 CBT charges, eight counts of bribery charges and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.

On March 19 last year, the prosecution closed its case after calling 99 witnesses including Ahmad Zahid's former special officer Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Wan Omar; legal firm Lewis & Co partner B. Muralidharan, money changer Omar Ali Abdullah and Ahmad Zahid's former executive secretary Mejar Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly.

The trial began on Nov 18, 2019. — Bernama

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