Malaysia’s High Court on Tuesday (Aug 15) acquitted and discharged former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin of four counts of abuse of power involving RM232.5 million (US$50 million), though he still faces three other charges of money laundering.
Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin ruled that the four abuse of power charges were vague, flawed and unfounded because they did not specify the details of the offences committed
Muhyiddin was charged with using his position then as prime minister and president of Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) to obtain bribes from three companies – Bukhary Equity, Nepturis and Mamfor – and also from one Azman Yusoff, for the party.
He was charged with committing the offences at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya between Mar 1, 2020, and Aug 20, 2021.
In a press conference after he was acquitted, Muhyiddin reportedly said he had always acknowledged that the charges brought against him were politically motivated
Aside from the four charges that were dropped, Muhyiddin faces three other charges of money laundering.
On Mar 10, he was charged with two counts of money laundering amounting to RM195 million.
Under the two money laundering charges, Muhyiddin was accused of receiving a total of RM195 million of proceeds from illegal activities from Bukhary Equity which were deposited into Bersatu’s bank account