The fifth day of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's criminal trial involving SRC International Sdn Bhd takes place at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Defence wants proof of cheques being issued from Ambank accounts
- Ex-PM poses for selfies in court cafeteria
- DPP asks witness if cheques cashed
- Witness granted more time to produce evidence
- Najib greets supporters, tells them his 'feet hurt'
Court breaks for lunch
1.02pm - Najib leaves for lunch, smiling to reporters and supporters as he exits the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex, and gets into his trademark 'TN50' Proton Perdana.
He is expected back in court in an hour's time.
Defence wants proof of cheques being issued from Ambank accounts
12.10pm - During cross-examination by Najib's counsel Harvinderjit, Badron is asked whether he can produce cheque images or other documents to confirm that the cheques originated from two Ambank accounts linked to the former premier.
Harvinderjit says that Badron can either produce cheque images or a report confirming the transactions.
"We are asking (for the witness to produce the documentation), as these accounts are the subject of the charges (against Najib), and as we want to show that the cheques were cleared.
"I will be producing money trail charts, among others, during the course of the trial," the lawyer explains.
The judge then directs the witness to produce at a later date the documents sought by the defence.
Ex-PM poses for selfies in court cafeteria
11.15am - Najib grabs a quick meal from the court cafeteria during the short recess.
Despite the slew of charges he is facing, Najib still proves a hit among some members of the public, who rush to take selfies with him.
DPP asks witness if cheques cashed
10.30am - Saifuddin also shows Badron an AmIslamic cheque for RM20 million made out to SRC International subsidiary Ihsan Perdana dated Dec 12, 2014.
The witness confirms the cheque has been cashed out.
Other AmIslamic cheques that the witness confirms as having been cashed were made out to:
- United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) for RM1 million, dated Feb 13, 2015;
- Ihsan Perdana for RM103,000, dated March 9, 2015;
- Trustees of Rumah Penyayang Tun Abdul Razak for RM400,000, dated Feb 12, 2015;
- Centre for Strategic Engagement Sdn Bhd for RM300,000, dated Feb 8, 2015;
- Johor Bahru Umno for RM300,000, dated Feb 26, 2015; and
- Law firm Zulqarnain & Co for RM2.5 million, dated Feb 2 2015.
10.26am - Badron is presented with an AmIslamic cheque for RM1 million to Badan Perhubungan Umno Pulau Pinang dated Feb 26, 2015.
He confirms that the cheque was cashed successfully.
Also cashed, according to the witness, was an RM3.5 million cheque dated Jan 21, 2015, made out to law firm Hafarizam Wan & Aisha Mubarak.
10.10am - DPP Saifuddin asks Badron to confirm whether a series of cheques from Ambank and AmIslamic were cashed.
Among these is a cheque to Solar Shine Sdn Bhd for RM1 million, dated Feb 17, 2015.
Witness granted more time to produce evidence
9.11am - DPP Suhaimi allows Farhan to be temporarily released to take more time to gather the evidence sought by the defence.
Meanwhile, fifth witness Badron Hisham Mohd, a senior manager at Ambank's cheque processing centre, takes the stand.
9.09am - Fourth prosecution witness Farhan enters the court and takes a seat at the witness stand as proceedings begin. He is expected to produce the items he seized from Ambank banker Yu on July 6, 2016.
Yesterday, Nazlan allowed the defence's application to compel Farhan to produce the items, which purportedly contain details of the conversation between Yu and fugitive businessperson Low, a key figure in the 1MDB scandal.
8.48am - Clad in a dark blue suit, Najib confers with his defence counsel Harvinderjit.
A short while later, his lead counsel Shafee (above) enters the court and takes a seat at the front with other members of the defence team.
Najib greets supporters, tells them his 'feet hurt'
8.45am - Najib arrives at the court complex in his familiar Proton Perdana bearing the TN50 number plate.
He greets a small group of supporters, before telling them that his feet hurt as he had been exercising the night before.
The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak, involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, enters its fifth day at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Najib is being tried on three counts of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Penal Code, three counts of money laundering under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFAPUAA) 2001, and one count of abuse of power under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009.
If convicted, the Pekan MP can be sentenced up to 20 years' jail, whipping and fine for the CBT charges; 20 years' jail and a fine not less than five times the amount involved or RM10,000, whichever is higher, for the abuse of power charge; and 15 years' jail, and a fine up to RM15 million or five times the amount involved, whichever is higher, for the money laundering charges.
The trial, presided over by judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, kicks off today with the possible testimony of two new witnesses, including Affin Bank Berhad officer Nimma Safira Khalid.
During a Bank Negara raid on the Jalan Raja Chulan Affin Bank branch on July 6, 2015, Nimma handed over bank documents regarding SRC International subsidiary Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd to then-analyst of the central bank, Mohammad Nizam Yahya.
All eyes, however, are on whether the fourth prosecution witness, former Bank Negara investigation officer Ahmad Farhan Sharifuddin, being called back to the stand today.
Yesterday, the court allowed an application by the defence team to compel Farhan to produce evidence of an alleged conversation between fugitive Low Taek Jho and Ambank banker Joanna Yu Ging Ping.
The evidence – including a smartphone, emails, recordings and documents – is alleged to contain conversations between Low and Yu on the operation and transactions of Najib's account with Ambank.
In an earlier testimony, Farhan said that he seized the items from Yu when Bank Negara raided the Jalan Raja Chulan Ambank branch on July 6, 2015.
Nazlan had allowed Farhan time to gather the seized items in his safekeeping, so he may only be called back to the stand once the items can be produced in court for the defence to scrutinise.
The raids on both Ambank and Affin Bank came four days after the Wall Street Journal reported that investigators believed at least US$700 million had flowed into Najib's bank account.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas is expected to lead the 13-person prosecution team, comprised of deputy public prosecutors Sulaiman Abdullah, V Sithambaram, Manoj Kurup, Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Donald Joseph Franklin, Suhaimi Ibrahim, Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, Mohd Ashraf Adrin Kamaril, Muhammad Izzat Fauzan, and Mohd Ashraf Adrin Kamaril.
Najib will be represented by a 13-person defence team led by veteran criminal lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Other members of the defence team are former solicitor-general II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden, Harvinderjit Singh, Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Chong Loong Men, Devanandan S Subramaniam, Farhan Read, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Rahmat Hazlan, Muhammad Farhan Shafee, Tiara Katrina Fuad, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, and Zahria Eleena Redza. - Mkini
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