Court is not ‘coffee shop’ - prosecution reprimands Zahid
The prosecution today reprimanded Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for providing unnecessary explanations to specific questions during his trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran told the former deputy prime minister that the latter should not consider the court as a 'coffee shop' or an Umno supreme council meeting while answering the questions.
The question posed by Raja Rozela was...
The prosecution today reprimanded Ahmad Zahid Hamidi for providing unnecessary explanations to specific questions during his trial.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Rozela Raja Toran told the former deputy prime minister that the latter should not consider the court as a 'coffee shop' or an Umno supreme council meeting while answering the questions.
The question posed by Raja Rozela was whether the former deputy prime minister agreed to the suggestion that his former executive secretary Maj Mazlina Mazlan @ Ramly could not touch the money in the fixed deposit account at Messrs Lewis & Co.
After Raja Rozela asked the question several times and reprimanded him to answer it specifically, Zahid finally answered, “Agree”.
Raja Rozela: Thank you, thank you Datuk Seri, thank you very much.
Zahid: Thank you to you too.
Raja Rozela then replied: “Please be careful Datuk Seri. You’re currently in the court and not at a coffee shop or a supreme council meeting. I am reminding you as an officer of the court.”
Earlier, Raja Rozela had also reprimanded Zahid for not providing specific answers to questions regarding the Akalbudi Foundation (YAB) funds transferred to the Lewis & Co fixed deposit account.
“You must learn to respect the court. When I ask a question and the question is specific, please answer the question specifically unless I ask you to provide an explanation.
“I am a court officer. I and my learned colleagues, your lawyers are court officials. We are tasked to conduct these proceedings for this court. I urge you Seri to please focus, otherwise, we will be here (at court) all day,” said Raja Rozela.
Lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik who represented Zahid then stood up to say that his client should be given an opportunity to give an explanation.
High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah replied that the prosecution was of the view because Zahid did not answer the questions specifically, and instead provided explanations.
“Sometimes witnesses are given the opportunity to give an explanation, but when asked whether the witness agrees or not, the witness only has to answer whether he does so or not. That is why the prosecution thinks so,” said the judge.
On Jan 24, the court ordered Zahid to enter his defence for 12 charges of CBT, eight of corruption and 27 of money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to YAB after finding that the prosecution had successfully made out a prima facie case against the accused.
The trial before the judge continues.
- Bernama
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