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KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The High Court here on Monday (September 28) allowed a request from Datuk Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to have his trial, which had been set for Monday to Wednesday (September 28-30) , was postponed as the former deputy prime minister is still in quarantine due to Covid-19.
Attorney Hamidi Mohd Noh, on behalf of Zahid, informed the court that his client could not be in court because, according to the Household Surveillance Order (HSO), he had to be quarantined at home from September 26 to 28.
“My client did a swab test after a surprise visit by officials from the Ministry of Health (MINSA) yesterday at his home and the result was negative.
“Today you will undergo the mandatory test of the Ministry of Health at your residence for the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to determine if the result is negative or positive. They made me understand that the test can only be perform at the end of the day today.
“As such, the defense wishes to request a postponement of the trial for today, tomorrow and Wednesday,” he said.
Hamidi said that he was also made to understand that Zahid could be at risk, since on September 19 he was with the candidate (Barisan Nasional) for Pitas, Sufian Abd Karim, who had tested positive for Covid-19.
“Sufian and my client had taken pictures together … I think we need to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of the virus,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prosecutor Datuk Raja Rozela Raja Toran said that the prosecution did not object to the postponement.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah agreed to the defense’s request and set aside the trial dates from Monday to Wednesday.
“I think we should be looking at that as well, so the trial dates, from today through Wednesday, will be vacant, we will resume on October 12,” Judge Sequerah said.
During the hearing on September 21, the court accepted Zahid’s request that his trial, which had been set for two days (September 21 and 22), be postponed, as he had to go to a Covid-19 screening.
Zahid faces 47 charges, 12 of them for criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit in funds belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.- Bernama
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