Defence lawyer Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, in cross-examining MACC investigating officer Mohd Fahmee Mohamad Noor, asked if it was true that the agency did not record any statement from Syed Mokhtar Albulkhary or anyone from Albukhary Foundation during the course of the investigation.
Fahmee answered in the affirmative.
“A witness (Omar Ali Abdullah) came to court and said my client (Zahid) informed him the source of the money was Albukhary Foundation. The money forms the basis of his 27th money laundering charge.
“The source of the money is important to prove an offence of money laundering,” Ahmad Zaidi said.
In the 27th charge, Zahid is accused of involvement in money laundering activities by instructing Omar to convert a sum of RM7.5 million into 35 cheques and to deposit them into a law firm’s account.
Zahid also faces 26 other money laundering charges, along with criminal breach of trust charges, involving funds in his family-owned foundation Yayasan Akalbudi, and allegedly accepting bribes for various projects during his tenure as home minister.
Asked to clarify by deputy public prosecutor Harris Ong as to why the MACC did not meet Syed Mokhtar or anyone from his foundation to take their statements, Fahmee said Omar told the investigators that he (Omar) did not know anyone at Albukhary Foundation.
“Omar informed us that he acted on the accused’s (Zahid’s) instructions to convert cash into cheques,” the witness said.
He also told the court that no one from the Albukhary Foundation contacted the MACC after Omar gave evidence in court.
“We did not find any receipts from Albukhary. As an investigating officer, in my view, I see this as a process to launder money through different parties and the source of the money was dubious,” Fahmee said.
Lead counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik told the court that the officer had formed his own opinion during the investigation.
High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then said it was sufficient for Fahmee to only testify on his investigation process.
The hearing continues on March 10.