Malaysian court docket dismisses dozens of graft fees towards deputy prime minister

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Malaysian court docket on Monday dismissed 47 corruption fees towards Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi after prosecutors unexpectedly dropped the fees at a sophisticated stage of his trial.

Zahid stated the High Court permitted the prosecutors’ software for a dismissal however refused to grant him a full acquittal, which implies he can nonetheless be recharged. But he stated he was grateful that the “politically motivated accusations against me have ended.”

Zahid heads the United Malays National Organization, and his assist has been pivotal in serving to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim type a unity authorities after final November’s normal election led to a hung Parliament. Zahid’s dismissal sparked new criticism and additional harm the anti-corruption stance of Anwar’s authorities. Opposition leaders have alleged that Zahid supported Anwar so the fees towards him might be dropped.

Monday’s court docket ruling got here simply weeks after native elections during which the Islamist-Malay nationalist opposition bloc made additional inroads in government-ruled states.

Lead prosecutor Mohamad Dusuki Mokhtar was quoted by the New Straits Times as saying that the fees towards Zahid had been quickly halted to forestall any miscarriage of justice. He stated Zahid raised new points and proof in an attraction to the Attorney-General’s Chambers for the fees to be dropped.

That included claims that his case had been rushed by and that he was a sufferer of selective prosecution by the earlier authorities. Dusuki stated additional investigations can be carried out by the anti-graft company.

Zahid‘s lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, said the defense will apply for a full acquittal. The dismissal came despite the court’s ruling in January 2022 that prosecutors had confirmed a case towards Zahid and ordered him to enter his protection.

Critics slammed the prosecution’s transfer to withdraw the fees. Former lawmaker and civil society reformist Maria Chin stated it was a tragic day for democracy as a result of the dismissal was “tantamount to saying corruption is OK.” Opposition lawmaker Wan Saiful Wan Jan stated it destroyed Anwar’s credibility as a reformist, and accused the premier of being “willing to do anything to stay in power.”

Zahid, 70, was charged after the long-ruling UMNO-led coalition misplaced the 2018 normal election due to public anger over corruption. Then-Prime Minister Najib Razak was charged in a number of graft circumstances and is serving a 12-year jail time period after shedding a closing attraction in one of many circumstances.

Zahid confronted 12 counts of felony breach of belief, 27 counts of cash laundering and eight counts of bribery involving greater than 31 million ringgit ($6.7 million) from his household basis. More than 110 witnesses have testified. Prosecutors alleged that cash supposed for charity was misappropriated for his private use, together with to repay his bank cards and for buying.

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This story corrects the prosecutor’s identify to Mohamad as an alternative of Ahmad.