SHAH ALAM: The High Court here today acquitted and discharged former Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi on 40 charges of receiving bribes in connection with the Foreign Visa System (VLN).

Judge Datuk Mohd Yazid Mustafa acquitted Ahmad Zahid, 69, who is also Umno president, after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie at the end of the prosecution case against him.

Ahmad Zahid was charged with 33 counts of receiving bribes amounting to S$13.56 million from Ultra Kirana Sdn Bhd (UKSB) for himself as Home Minister to extend the contract of the company as the operator of the one-stop center (OSC) service in China and the VLN system, as well as to maintain its contract agreement with the Home Ministry for the supply of the VLN integrated system.

On another seven counts, the Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament was charged with obtaining for himself S$1,150,000, RM3.125 million, 15,000 Swiss Franc and US$15,000 from the same company which he knew had links with his official function.

He was charged with committing the offenses at Seri Satria, Precinct 16, Putrajaya, and Country Heights Kajang between October 2014 and March 2018.