Black and red bags moved out of spy agency’s offices, court told

 

Former espionage agency chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid leaving the Kuala Lumpur High Court after a hearing in her trial on embezzlement charges. (Bernama pic)

KUALA LUMPUR: Several officers of the Research Division at the Prime Minister’s Department were seen pulling black and red bags and suitcases in and out of the floors housing the offices of top officials of the Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation, the High Court was told today.

Video clips from 163 closed-circuit television files were screened for almost one hour at the court during the trial of Hasanah Abdul Hamid, then director-general of the Research Division, for alleged criminal breach of trust involving RM50.4 million.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Farid Ahmad Kamal played the CCTV recordings during his examination-in-chief of Badri Azni, 37, an investigating officer at the Technological Forensic Division of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.

The recordings showed several men moving the luggage via the lifts on levels one and seven and car porch of Block B4 on April 30 and May 9, 2018.

However, the court was not told of the contents of the luggage.

When asked by Hasanah’s lawyer Muhammad Ashraff Mohd Diah during cross-examination on whether the accused was seen in the hundreds of files shown in court today, Badri, the eighth prosecution witness, said: “No.”

Another witness Norrashid Mahmud, 59, a former auxiliary policeman at the PM’s Department, said he could recognise all the individuals seen in the CCTV recordings.

“They are administrative and diplomatic officers at Block 4, JPM (Research Division),” the ninth prosecution witness said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari on the sixth day of the trial.

When reading out his witness statement, Norrashid said he knew all the officers and staff in the division because he worked there for more than 20 years before retiring on Oct 20 last year.

Hasanah, 64, has pleaded not guilty to criminal breach of trust involving RM50.4 million belonging to the Malaysian government between April 30 and May 9, 2018.

The hearing before Judge Ahmad Shahrir Mohd Salleh resumes on Monday.

However, the media and members of the public will not be allowed in court from April 12 to 16, as 11 prosecution witnesses will be giving evidence in camera involving issues of national security. - FMT