Visa-processing firm made out RM1m cheque to ‘DPM's political fund’ - witness
ZAHID TRIAL | The Kuala Lumpur High Court today heard that the RM1 million cheque made out to a law firm mentioned in the ongoing Ahmad Zahid Hamidi graft trial was meant as a political donation for the latter.
Maybank branch assistant manager Harryade Mohamad Arbe said this today in the course of identifying three cheques issued by visa-processing firm Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd (PRSB).
ZAHID TRIAL | The Kuala Lumpur High Court today heard that the RM1 million cheque made out to a law firm mentioned in the ongoing Ahmad Zahid Hamidi graft trial was meant as a political donation for the latter.
Maybank branch assistant manager Harryade Mohamad Arbe said this today in the course of identifying three cheques issued by visa-processing firm Profound Radiance Sdn Bhd (PRSB).
The 26th prosecution witness testified that PRSB made out three cheques totalling RM2 million to legal firm Lewis & Co between July 2017 to Feb 2018.
Two payments, amounting to RM300,000 and RM700,000 respectively, were meant for “charity” while the third cheque for RM1 million was for the purpose of “DPM (deputy prime minister) political fund”.
Zahid was deputy prime minister at the time.
Harryade said this during cross-examination by defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik after reading his witness statement in which he identified the three Maybank cheques issued by PRSB.
Throughout the trial which has entered its 12th day today, Zahid's defence had been attempting to establish that Lewis & Co was the “trustee” for Ahmad Zahid’s welfare foundation Yayasan Akalbudi.
In court today, Harryade told public prosecutor Gan Peng Kun that Lewis & Co was taken to be an “advocate and solicitors office” but claimed he said he did not know the purpose of the three cheque transactions.
During cross-examination, however, the witness agreed with Hisyam’s suggestion that he “cannot deny” that the cheques were for charity purposes as the witness possessed no knowledge of the matter.
The defence counsel then referred Harryade to three copies of the cheque before asking him to read the “purpose” of the payments listed on the cheques and to whom the payments were made out to.
All three were made out to Lewis & Co.
Hisyam: Does this mean the cheques, both (RM300,000 and RM700,000) were for charity, according to this copy?
Harryade: Yes
Hisyam: I say this is for Islamic charity, paid to Lewis & Co as the trustee for Yayasan Akalbudi. Do you know (this) or not know?
Harryade: I do not know.
On the third cheque, Harryade agreed to the defence suggestion that although it stated it was for the "deputy prime minister’s political fund", it was made out to Lewis & Co.
The witness also agreed that all three cheques involved open transactions which meant payment to the firm would be recorded and this record could be inspected by an auditor.
Ahmad Zahid is facing 47 charges - 12 criminal breaches of trust, eight counts of receiving gratification and 27 counts of money laundering - involving Yayasan Akalbudi's funds.
Meanwhile, PRSB is the subject of a separate civil suit by its former director.
In the latter case, current PRSB director Azlan Shah Jaffril testified last month that he allegedly paid Ahmad Zahid RM2 million for the company to be appointed to operate one-stop Malaysian visa processing centres in Nepal and Pakistan.
Azlan also told the court he is slated to be a prosecution witness in Ahmad Zahid’s Yayasan Akalbudi trial.
The court had previously heard testimony from RHB Islamic, Public Bank, and Maybank officers regarding cheques issued from four companies to Lewis & Co.
The 26 transactions between July 2016 and April 2017 amount to RM19,250,000.
The 23rd witness Rashidah Mohd Rahim, who is the Public Bank officer, confirmed that Jogabonito Jewellery and Diamonds had issued a cheque worth RM250,000 to Lewis & Co on June 27, 2016.
The 24th witness Faiz Azfar Azahar, a RHB Islamic Bank officer, testified that Lewis & Co was paid RM13 million by two companies – Berani & Jujur Trading, and Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services.
He said that on Feb 8, 2017, Berani & Jujur Trading had paid Lewis & Co RM5 million in ten cheque transactions of RM500,000 each.
Mastoro Kenny IT Consultant & Services, meanwhile, issued seven cheques on Dec 8, 2016, to Lewis & Co totalling RM5 million; comprising one RM1 million cheque and four RM500,000 cheques.
On Jan 5, 2017, the law firm was paid RM500,000 by cheque, and it received five cheques RM500,000 each on the next day.
The 25th witness Hasnizailawaty Sudin from Maybank confirmed Sarana Kencana Sdn Bhd had paid Lewis & Co two cheques on April 25, 2017 – one worth RM1 million, and the other worth RM5 million.
During cross-examination, the three bank officers agreed with Hisyam’s suggestion that if the payments are purported to be charitable donations, they cannot plead ignorance on the matter.
They also agreed that they cannot plead ignorance on whether Lewis & Co is the trustee to the cheques and to Yayasan Akalbudi.
The trial will resume on February next year.
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