KUALA LUMPUR, April 14 — Imagine being a police investigator and seeing cash and jewellery bursting out of bags seized during a raid at a luxury condominium linked to one of the most powerful people in the country.

That’s the scenario that confronted former Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Datuk Seri Amar Singh when he led the investigation during the May 2018 raid on the Pavilion Residences on Jalan Raja Chulan here.

Amar, who led the CCID from October 2017 to December 2018, was testifying today in the civil suit filed by Lebanese jewellery company Global Royalty Trading SAL (GRTS) against Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

He said that it was impractical to conduct a full inventory of cash and jewellery seized on the premises back then due to the sheer scale of items.

He also said the seized luggage also appeared to have been hastily packed as the contents spilt out immediately upon being unzipped by police officers at the premises.

“During our first inspection at Unit B-45-02 after we found the bags, initially we wanted to count [the cash inside] each of them, but the minute we opened up, it was just overwhelming.

“Cash spilt out onto the floor since they were not bundled up and we had to push them back into the bags.

“The jewellery bags were also full to the brim and there were just too many,” he testified.

Amar said a total of 71 bags, one plastic box and 284 boxes of handbags were seized in the May 17, 2018 raid.

He explained that all bags were zipped but not locked, allowing officers to open them for inspection, but said the volume of items made detailed tabulation at the unit impossible.

Amar said the premises lacked air-conditioning and proper facilities to support counting, valuation and documentation of such a large haul.

He added that the cash component alone involved 35 large bags, which he said required expertise and equipment from Bank Negara Malaysia for proper verification and counting.

He also said the jewellery haul – including diamonds and gemstones – filled 25 large bags and a plastic box, and required specialist assessment as police officers were not trained in gemmology or jewellery authentication.

“The police team also did not have the expertise to verify and tabulate the serial number of the Hermes bags and expensive watches,” he said.

To ensure the exhibits were properly handled, Amar said the bags were later wrapped in cling film before being moved in batches from the unit to the lobby.

He said the items were then transported under heavy police escort to a secured lock-up at Bukit Aman, where CCTV coverage and layered access controls were in place.

“The police personnel manning the lock-up are stationed at the lobby of the lock up whilst the exhibits are all stored within a large confinement area containing several cells.”

He added that a two-key system was implemented, with him controlling the outer access while another officer he identified as Datuk Ramli Mohd Nor – who is now deputy speaker of the Dewan Rakyat – held the individual cell keys.

“Each time the exhibits are taken out as per schedule of counting, tabulating or valuing both Ramli and I have to be present at the lock-up,” Amar said.

He said the full process of counting, tabulating and valuing the seized items took place between May 21 and June 25.

The trial before High Court judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon continues. - malaymail