Prosecution witness denies making deal to get 1MDB suit against him retracted

 

1MDB TRIAL: 1MDB’s former CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman rubbished an allegation that he struck an agreement with the prosecution for the withdrawal of the sovereign wealth fund’s civil action against him.

The 10th prosecution witness made the denial against a claim raised by Najib Abdul Razak’s defence team during the former prime minister’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today.

Najib’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had cross-examined Hazem on whether the latter made the alleged deal in return for the latter’s continued testimony in the criminal case against the ex-premier.

In May, 1MDB and its various subsidiaries filed 22 civil actions against Hazem (above), Najib and several other individuals and entities.

1MDB and its subsidiaries claimed that the individuals and entities were involved in defrauding them, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

Yesterday, online news portal The Edge Markets reported that for one of the suits that seek US$8 billion, 1MDB has dropped the civil action against Hazem and six other defendants.

The six defendants are: 1MDB’s former directors Che Lodin Wok Kamaruddin, Ismee Ismail, Ong Gim Huat and Ashvin Jethanand Valiram; its former CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi; and its former chief financial officer Azmi Tahir.

However, four alleged associates of 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho or Jho Low - Terence Geh Choh Heng, Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, Casey Tang Keng Chee, Vincent Beng Huat Koh - still remained as defendants in the civil action.

The other defendants that remained in the suit are Najib, the sovereign wealth fund’s former chief financial officer Radhi Mohamad; its former investments director Kelvin Tan Kay Jin, and SRC International’s former CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil.

From 15 defendants, the suit now only has eight defendants.

Formerly a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC later became fully-owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF).

Besides being former premier, Najib also used to be finance minister and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.

Shahrol has previously testified for the prosecution in the 1MDB criminal trial.

During the hearing today, Shafee initially asked Hazem whether the witness has been served a copy of 1MDB’s civil action, to which the witness replied he has never been officially served any.

Shafee then pressed on with cross-examination over the civil action, to which Hazem testified that he was only aware of the suit via news articles.

The witness also testified that he does not know why his name was removed from the civil action.

Shafee: I put it to you that you are very concerned (with the civil action), and you approached the prosecution and say ‘This could not go on’ (regarding the civil action) as you are testifying for the prosecution (in Najib’s 1MDB criminal trial) but you are being sued in civil litigation.

Hazem: I disagree.

Shafee: You were given assurance that your name would be removed (from 1MDB’s civil action).

Hazem: I disagree.

Shafee: You spoke to Shahrol about this?

Hazem: No, I did not.

The former 1MDB CEO also testified that he has never been subjected to criminal investigation or charged in court with a criminal offence linked to the troubled sovereign wealth fund.

The 1MDB corruption trial before judge Collin Lawrence will continue tomorrow.

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB’s funds. - Mkini