The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 15th day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Witness: RM30m transferred from Permai Binaraya to SRC
- Witness confirms RM105m from SRC to Putra Perdana Construction
- Tajuddin joins Najib in court
- 'Same signatories for Putra Perdana Construction, Permai Binaraya'
- Najib toys with phone as Maybank officer grilled
- Judge fixes RM6.6b CBT case for July
- Mention of six charges along with Irwan Serigar
Witness: RM30m transferred from Permai Binaraya to SRC
11.08am - Maybank officer Norlina confirms that RM30 million was transferred from Permai Binaraya's Maybank account to SRC International's AmIslamic account on Jan 7, 2015.
In response to questions from deputy public prosecutor Sulaiman Kho, she confirms the single credit confirmation advice of the transaction on the orders of Permai Binaraya.
Witness confirms RM105m from SRC to Putra Perdana Construction
10.49am - The trial's 32nd witness, a Maybank officer known as Norlina, confirms that SRC International transferred RM105 million from its AmIslamic account to Putra Perdana Construction's Maybank account on July 14, 2014.
The Maybank Rentas Unit head is answering questions from deputy public prosecutor Sulaiman Kho.
RM30m transferred to SRC via letter, cheque
10.30am - Witness Halijah Abdul Wahab tells the court that it is possible a "process of layering" was involved in transactions totalling RM30 million from Permai Binaraya to SRC International on Jan 7, 2015.
'Layering' commonly refers to a process of laundering money, whereby the origin of funds in concealed through a series of transactions or bookkeeping tricks.
Under cross-examination by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the Maybank officer testifies that the transactions involved an instruction letter and an in-house cheque.
Shafee: Is this an instruction letter from Permai Binaraya on Jan 7, 2015 in favour of SRC?
Halijah: Correct.
Shafee: This transaction was done based on the instruction?
Halijah: Correct.
Shafee: Now look at P444, there is a cheque. Now this cheque, can you confirm this was issued by Permai Binaraya in favour of Maybank for the same amount of RM15 million?
Halijah: Yes. On Jan 7, 2015.
Shafee: Same date as the instruction letter?
Halijah: Yes.
Shafee then asks Halijah why a cheque was necessary when Permai Binaraya had already issued the instruction letter for the same amount and to the same payee.
She says that she is not sure, but adds that the letter instructed Maybank to transfer the funds to Ambank, while the cheque was to have the amount debited from Permai Binaraya's Maybank account and transferred to SRC International.
The witness adds that customers can choose either way to conduct their transactions.
Shafee: As far as the bank is concerned, which do you act on? You act on both (instruction letter and cheque) is it?
Halijah: Yes.
Shafee: If I were to suggest you that whoever issued this cheque and instruction is actually layering this cheque and instruction so the original payee is not easily identified, as it comes from a payment from Maybank, is that one possibility?
That from the person who issues the instruction and cheque there is a process of layering? As the money was not transferred directly, but it goes to the bank and is then transferred (to the recipient)?
Halijah: There is a possibility.
Shafee: As far as you are concerned, this did not alert anyone (at Maybank) of anything suspicious?
Halijah: As a banker, they should have advised a direct debit from the account.
Shafee: As done previously?
Halijah: Yes.
Tajuddin joins Najib in court
10.15am - Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (photo) enters the courtroom and shakes hands with accused Najib Abdul Razak, as the cross-examination of witness Halijah Abdul Wahab continues.
Wearing a cream shirt and black songkok, Tajuddin takes a seat in the front row of the public gallery, right behind the dock.
He listens intently to lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah questioning the witness on the authorised signatories of Putra Perdana Construction and Permai Binaraya.
'Same signatories for Putra Perdana Construction, Permai Binaraya'
10am - Maybank officer Halijah Abdul Wahab testifies that both Putra Perdana Construction and Permai Binaraya had the same signatories for their accounts with the bank.
The witness tells the court that Permai Binaraya listed as its current account signatories Rosman Abdullah and Jerome Lee when it opened its Maybank account in 2014.
Putra Perdana Construction, meanwhile, has had several changes of account signatories since it opened its account in 1991. The company was then known as Kamunting Construction Sdn Bhd until the name change on Sept 17, 1998.
She says the same Rosman was listed as a signatory for Putra Perdana Construction in a company resolution dated May 2, 2012, while Lee was listed through another resolution dated May 28, 2014.
Under cross-examination from defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (photo), Halijah says that as far as she can recall, Rosman and Lee signed all banking instructions for both companies since becoming signatories.
Shafee: As far as you could recall, since they became the (companies') signatories, they were the ones who signed all the instructions?
Halijah: Yes.
Shafee: Do you agree that in both companies, they have a common director, which is Rosman?
Halijah: Yes.
Shafee: And Lee was also a director in Permai Binaraya?
Halijah: I am not sure about being a director, but that a signatory, I can confirm.
Shafee then refers the witness to several documents tendered as evidence, before Halijah confirms that Lee and Rosman were both directors in Permai Binaraya, and that the former was not listed as a director for Putra Perdana Construction.
Halijah is then asked to compare two documents – both instructions to Maybank from Permai Binaraya and Putra Perdana Construction.
She agrees that while the documents originated from different companies, the letters are in the same format.
Najib toys with phone as Maybank officer grilled
9.45am - As lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah cross-examines Maybank officer Halijah Abdul Wahab, former premier Najib Abdul Razak plays with his mobile phone in the dock.
The accused appears to have turned on selfie camera on his phone, before switching it back around.
He then lowers the phone to continue looking at the screen as proceedings continue.
Judge fixes RM6.6b CBT case for July
9.30am - Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali fixes July 8 for case management of the RM6.6 billion CBT case of former premier Najib Abdul Razak and former treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
This is to allow Najib's SRC International trial to proceed unimpeded.
Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who leads Najib's defence team, raises no objection to the application from deputy public prosecutor Manoj Kurup to vacate the CBT matter.
Irwan steps out of the dock as Najib remains inside for the SRC international trial.
Mention of six charges along with Irwan
9.12am - Najib and Irwan enter court as mention of their RM6.6 billion CBT case begins.
8.55am - Clad in dark grey suit, the accused Najib Abdul Razak enters the courtroom and takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
The former premier is also seen shaking hands with former treasury secretary-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah (photo), who is also awaiting the beginning of mention for six counts of criminal breach of trust involving RM6.6 billion before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
The SRC International trial will begin after this mention.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and other members of the prosecution team are present.
Najib and Irwan are seen smiling as they chat with each other, as the former's lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is seen with other members of the defence.
Lawyer K Kumaraendran, is representing Irwan for the case mention.
Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s trial for alleged abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s RM42 million enters its 16th day today.
All eyes will be on Maybank officer Halijah Abdul Wahab over the money trail between SRC International, Putra Perdana Development Sdn, Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd, and Permai Binaraya Sdn Bhd.
Halijah's testimony yesterday matched the infamous flow chart showed by then-attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali during a press conference in Jan 2016.
The 31st witness testified that RM140 million was transferred from Putra Perdana Construction to SRC International on Dec 12, 2014; RM110 million from Putra Perdana Development to Putra Perdana Construction on Dec 12, 2014; and RM27 million from Permai Binaraya to Najib's AmBank account on July 8, 2014.
During the 2016 press conference, Apandi had announced that he was clearing Najib of all wrongdoing in relation to money transferred into the latter's AmBank accounts.
More light may be shed on the matter today as the defence is set to cross-examine Halijah before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
After lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's request was granted by Nazlan yesterday, Halijah will present documents on signature samples of signatories for Putra Perdana Construction, Putra Perdana Development and Permai Binaraya.
Shafee had told the court yesterday that the documents are needed to prove that there are commonalities between the signatories of the companies.
- Mkini
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.