KUALA LUMPUR — The High Court here has freed former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin from four financial crime charges related to Bukhary Equity Sdn Bhd, rejecting a prosecution attempt to keep the door open for future prosecution.
Judge Noor Ruwena Nurdin delivered a complete discharge and acquittal on three counts of money laundering and one count of power abuse, after state prosecutors—led by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib—moved to withdraw the case via a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA).
The dropped charges centered on allegations that Muhyiddin solicited and received RM200 million from the company.
Judge Ruwena criticized the prosecution’s lack of justification for seeking a DNAA beyond a simple reluctance to continue.
“Therefore, I am of the view that in the interest of justice, the discretion of the court is to be exercised in favour of the accused, and that is to order him to be discharged and acquitted (of the four charges),” Ruwena held.
The application followed an internal review of the case history, according to Akram.
“Accordingly, the prosecution is applying to invoke Section 254(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code and seeking an order from the court for the accused to be granted a DNAA,” Akram submitted, explicitly noting the request did not cover separate corruption charges tied to the Jana Wibawa initiative.
Lead defense attorney Hisyam Teh Poh Teik pushed back against the DNAA bid, pressing the bench for an outright acquittal due to evidentiary failures by the crown as the trial drew to a close.
“Today is probably the second last day of the trial, and not a single shred of evidence was produced and no witness statements served on us by the prosecution in respect of these four charges,” Hisyam argued.
“What’s most important is that no cogent reasons were advanced by the prosecution as to why they wanted a DNAA, and the law is very clear: strong reasons must be given. Otherwise, the court has no choice whatsoever but to grant a discharge amounting to an acquittal.”
While cleared of the Bukhary Equity matters, Muhyiddin remains on trial over three remaining abuse of power charges linked to Jana Wibawa, where the prosecution phase is coming to an end.
The remaining counts allege he corruptly sought RM25.3 million from Nepturis Sdn Bhd, Mamfor Sdn Bhd, KCJ Engineering Sdn Bhd, and corporate leader Azman Yusoff. – September 15, 2026