A former Yayasan Akalbudi director, Zulkifli Senteri, told the High Court today that he does not know where the charity foundation’s office is located, despite being a trustee in the foundation.
“I was told by Zahid that Yayasan Akalbudi was established to help the people in Bagan Datuk, Perak, and that was the main reason I accepted the directorship offer,” said the Perak-born former lecturer.
The court also heard that nine local cheques totalling RM72,621.13 were issued to Maybank to pay for Zahid’s Visa Platinum, and MasterCard Gold credit cards and an American Express (AMEX) charge card.
Maybank vice president in charge of the credit card fraud and dispute management department Anoop Singh Gulzara Singh, 46, said the payments were made between Feb 19, 2014, and July 9, 2015.
KUALA LUMPUR: A former Yayasan Akalbudi director told the High Court today that he does not know where the charity foundation’s office is located, despite being a trustee in the foundation.
Zulkifli Senteri, 68, said he does not know the exact location of the office since he was never invited to any of the foundation’s meetings since he was appointed as a director in 1997, the same year the foundation was established.
He said that year, former deputy prime minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi invited him to be a director at Yayasan Akalbudi and he agreed to the offer.
The member of the foundation’s board of trustees said, however, Zahid did not explain about the responsibilities and functions of the post.
“I was told by Zahid that Yayasan Akalbudi was established to help the people in Bagan Datuk, Perak, and that was the main reason I accepted the directorship offer,” said the Perak-born former lecturer.
Zulkifli, who is now vice-chancellor at Binary University, was testifying as a prosecution witness in Zahid’s trial involving 47 criminal breach of trust (CBT), corruption and money laundering charges involving millions of ringgit of Yayasan Akalbudi funds.
The witness also told the court that documents in relation with the foundation were signed at either Zahid’s house or at his house.
He said during his tenure as the director, no discussions were held on the activities carried out by the foundation or on the expenditure for the projects.
“During my time as director, Yayasan Akalbudi had never conducted an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
“I was never shown or signed any financial statements of Yayasan Akalbudi and I was never informed by Zahid about the sources of the funds obtained to bear the costs for the activities.
“I do not even know whether the account was ever audited or not,” Zulkifli said, adding that he signed a letter of resignation as the director in 2012.
The witness also testified that he did not know that Yayasan Akalbudi possessed millions of ringgit of funds.
The court also heard that nine local cheques totalling RM72,621.13 were issued to Maybank to pay for Zahid’s Visa Platinum, and MasterCard Gold credit cards and an American Express (AMEX) charge card.
Maybank vice president in charge of the credit card fraud and dispute management department Anoop Singh Gulzara Singh, 46, said the payments were made between Feb 19, 2014, and July 9, 2015.
He said that apart from Kuala Lumpur, Zahid had also used the cards in Kiev, Ukraine and Seoul, Korea.
Trial continues before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Dec 2.
On Oct 19 and Dec 14, 2018, as well as Feb 20 this year, Zahid had pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court to a total of 47 charges, 12 of which are for CBT, eight for bribery and 27 for money laundering involving tens of millions of ringgit belonging to Yayasan Akalbudi.
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