In a recent legal development, Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah granted the Deputy Public Prosecutor, Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar’s application for a Discharge Not Amounting to an Acquittal (DNAA) for Ahmad Zahid. This decision followed the prosecution’s choice to halt the case temporarily, citing the need for a more in-depth investigation.
Justice Sequerah emphasized the authority of the Attorney General, as outlined in Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution and Section 254 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), to initiate and withdraw charges before judgment is rendered.
The judge made it clear that while this power is unquestioned, it’s crucial to consider the potential waste of judicial time and taxpayers’ money if the prosecution were to later abandon the charges. With these remarks, the case was adjourned.
Ahmad Zahid had submitted a substantial 200-page letter of representation to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) in hopes of having the charges against him dropped. The first such letter was submitted in January, followed by another in February, containing new evidence and facts.
The prosecution invoked its authority under Article 145 (3) of the Federal Constitution and Section 254 of the CPC to withdraw all 47 charges against the accused. However, they requested a DNAA, citing several reasons, including the need for further investigation into the charges and the forthcoming royal commission of inquiry regarding the contents of former Attorney-General Tan Sri Tommy Thomas’s book.
In response, the defense objected to the DNAA and instead requested a Discharge Amounting to an Acquittal (DAA). This development adds a layer of complexity to the legal proceedings surrounding Ahmad Zahid.