Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak (photo, above) had spent a total of RM3.2 million at a Swiss jeweller outlet in Italy in August 2014 to buy a gift for the wife of former Qatar premier Hamad Jassim Jaber al-Thani, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard this morning.
During the 57th-day of the SRC International trial, Najib's lawyer Farhan Read produced a letter which the defence claimed was sent by Hamad's wife Noor al-Subaiee to Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor in 2014 stating her appreciation for the gift.
The letter dated Aug 15, 2014, was produced right after MACC investigation officer Rosli Hussain confirmed in court that Najib had told investigators the purpose of his large expenditure at the De Grisogono jewellery outlet was to purchase a gift for a foreign leader friendly to Malaysia.
He also confirmed that the credit card transaction for the purchase was made on August 8, 2014.
Farhan: From what you were informed, the purchase at this De Grisogo outlet was meant for gift intended to a foreign leader?
Rosli: That was what he claimed.
Farhan: By he, do you mean Najib? Najib explained to you that this RM3.2 million was used as per stated, and this was also your investigation findings?
Rosli: Yes.
Farhan: Did he also explain that the gift was very high value because this foreign leader used to have a very close relationship to Malaysia?
Rosli: Something like that.
(Farhan then asked Rosli of his opinion about the Asian culture of presenting gifts but was objected by DPP V Sithambaram. The defence lawyer then retracted the question before continuing on the recipient of the gift.)
Farhan: Did Najib mention to you that the gift was meant for the wife of the Qatar prime minister?
Rosli: Yes. I think it is the former prime minister.
Farhan: And he also told you that he had received an appreciation letter from Noor Abdalaziz Abdulla Turki al-Subaiee?
(Farhan then shows the court a copy of the letter)
Rosli: Can you show me the letter? I want to see it. I had never seen it before.
After examining the copy of the letter, which Rosli said was a bit blurry, he told the court that he had never seen it before.
He also denied that Rosmah had ever mentioned about the letter when she gave her statement to MACC.
During the proceedings, the letter was then marked as IDD778, as the prosecution said its authenticity has yet to be confirmed.
For the record, code IDD is used to adduce a possible piece of evidence which has yet to be confirmed.
On July 15, AmBank senior vice-president Yeoh Eng Leong told the court that Najib's two credit cards were used for a total of RM3.3 million transaction in a single day at the jewellery boutique in Italy on Aug 8, 2014.
The next day, Najib on a Facebook post defended the spending, saying that it was used to purchase "gifts" for the royalty of another country. - Mkini
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