With the charges of defrauding a foundation, Malaysia dropped a multimillion-dollar corruption case against Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on Monday.
Zahid had faced 47 charges involving numerous counts of illegal violation of trust, corruption, and money laundering associated with the abuse of $27m of funds at Yayasan Akalbudi, a charity he built to eliminate poverty.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah decided to give Zahid a release not amounting to an acquittal after the prosecution said it required more terms to scrutinize the case, the Malay Mail reported.
A release not amounting to an acquittal means the prosecution can restore the charges at a later date if required.
My family and I are thankful that the court has released me of all 47 charges, said Zahid, who had pleaded not guilty and said the accusations were politically motivated.
The defense had asked for a full acquittal and the lawyer of Zahid said intended to plead the release judgment.
Zahid was accused of corruption in 2018 a few months after the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) lost authority for the first time in 60 years over widespread outrage at graft and the multibillion-dollar scandal at the 1MDB state fund.
In November’s public election, Anwar Ibrahim’s alliance fell just short of an absolute majority and worked out a collaboration with UMNO and several other parties to create a government.
Anwar’s Pakatan Harapan alliance had campaigned on a forum for tackling corruption, and Zahid’s release may add to worries about cases against other major politicians.
