A partner of Messrs Lewis Co told the High Court here today that the legal firm was a not a trustee of Yayasan Akalbudi, which is owned by former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
V. Premshangar, 50, also said the firm had never handled files or ledgers relating to the foundation.
He said this when cross-examined by lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, representing Ahmad Zahid, on the 32nd day trial of the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament, who is facing criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering charges involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
“We have never opened a file for Yayasan Akalbudi and we were never a trustee for Yayasan Akalbudi,” he added.
To a question whether he agreed that a discussion between his partner, B. Muralidharan and Ahmad Zahid at the former deputy prime minister’s residence in Country Heights, Kajang, in April 2016 on a fixed saving account was for the foundation, Premshangar said he disagreed.
Premshangar has been with Lewis Co since 1995 and became its partner in 1998.
Last July 30, an accountant at Lewis Co, V. Sothilechmy, who is the 85th witness, told the court that the legal firm opened a file under the name of Yayasan Al-Falah in May 2016 for welfare purposes.
Prior to this, 66th prosecution witness, lawyer and a trustee of Yayasan Al-Falah, Faisalludin Mohamat Yusuff, 43, told the court that the foundation belonged to the Hamidi family, while Yayasan Akalbudi was for Ahmad Zahid.
Meanwhile, when reading out his witness statement, Premshangar said he had no knowledge as to how Lewis Co could be involved in managing money from Ahmad Zahid as the matter was handled solely by Muralidharan.
He also said that he did not receive any instructions directly from Ahmad Zahid to do so.
Ahmad Zahid, 67, is facing 27 counts of money laundering, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi and eight counts of corruption.
The trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Tue Aug 11 2020
Ahmad Zahid, 67, is facing 27 counts of money laundering, 12 counts of criminal breach of trust involving funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi and eight counts of corruption. - FILEpic
Angka kematian lebuh raya runtuh di China meningkat kepada 36
Angka kematian akibat sebahagian lebuh raya di wilayah Guangdong, selatan China runtuh meningkat kepada 36 orang, kata pihak berkuasa tempatan, lapor Xinhua.
PRK Kuala Kubu Baharu: Tular pula isu hutang, calon PN enggan jawab
Calon PN bagi PRK Kuala Kubu Bharu, Khairul Azhari Saut sekali lagi terpalit dakwaan hutang melibatkan perkhidmatan kredit komuniti.
Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah
Pada 9.05 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) merosot 1.21 mata kepada 1,574.76 daripada 1,575.97 pada Selasa.
UUM dan tiga wilayah di Selatan Thailand rintis kerjasama pendidikan tinggi
Kerjasama yang diberi keutamaan ialah latihan perguruan dan kursus berkaitan bahasa Inggeris bagi pelajar dan tenaga pengajar.
Perkembangan terkini Jelajah Microsoft Build: AI Day
Acara sehari secara percuma yang direka untuk membantu pembangun meneroka peluang baharu dengan kecerdasan buatan (AI) serta memajukan kemahiran mereka dengan AI dan Microsoft Azure.
[TERKINI] Siti Bainun dihukum penjara 12 tahun
Pengasas Rumah Bonda, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali dihukum penjara 12 tahun oleh Mahkamah Tinggi pada khamis, atas dua pertuduhan mengabai dan menganiaya remaja perempuan sindrom down, yang juga dikenali dengan nama Bella, tiga tahun lalu.
Harus renjis, bilas kenderaan dengan air ruqyah - Mufti
Perbuatan tersebut bukanlah satu amalan yang khurafat dan tidak bertentangan dengan syariat.
WEF: Emerging economies: How to fix the debt problem?
Papagomo didakwa hasut, datangkan kebencian terhadap Agong
Wan Muhammad Azri didakwa menerbitkan penerbitan menghasut berkaitan isu pemilik KK Supermart menghadap Sultan Ibrahim di laman X miliknya.
Siti Bainun kekal bersalah abai, aniaya Bella
Hakim, Datuk Noorin Badaruddin memutuskan demikian selepas menolak rayuan Siti Bainun.
COVID-19: Over 100 individuals in Penang undergo test
Most of them were tested negative for the disease while others are still waiting for the results, Penang Chief Minister said.
Pusat dobi layan diri tidak dibenarkan beroperasi
Turut tidak dibenarkan beroperasi, pasar malam dan pasar tani sepanjang Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan bagi mengelakkan orang ramai berkumpul
Do postponements cause delays in the Courts?
Cases may often be postponed or otherwise delayed for various reasons. The truth of the matter is that these delays may be necessary due to the Rule of law and due process.
Guilty until proven innocent; a devastatingly prevalent myth
While it is natural for us to be presumptuous, to place our version of the truth ahead of the law's is just purely juvenile. Lawyer Alan Razak writes.
"I feel guilty, I want to see Imam," kata lelaki yang tampar Imam
Demikian kata-kata Shabir Ahmad Khan, 31, lelaki warganegara India yang menampar imam Masjid Negara semasa solat Jumaat di masjid itu dua minggu lalu.
Mahkamah benarkan wanita batal saman bekas kekasih Bosnia
Hakim Timothy Finlayson Joel dalam keputusannya turut menolak tuntutan balas oleh Chung Shun Yee, 29, terhadap Ervin Ahbabovic, 41.