The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 54th day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Judge has entire court in stitches
- Najib didn’t deny his signature was on documents in MACC probe: witness
- Bank Negara issued anti-money laundering notice to Affin Bank: witness
- Humour when witness seeks a break
- Nik Faisal's original letter to AmBank couldn't be found - witness
- MACC officer confirms documents obtained from AmBank
- MACC investigating officer back in the stand
- Hearing pushed to 2.30pm
- Najib enters court
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6.35pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Judge has entire court in stitches
5.40pm - "(DPP V) Sitham (Sithambaram) said you (DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim) would not leave the court until you are finished."
This statement by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali to Suhaimi, who is seeking for proceedings be adjourned to tomorrow, elicits laughter from those present.
Earlier, Sithambaram had informed Nazlan that the prosecution would wrap up its examination in chief of MACC investigation officer Rosli Hussain by today.
Nazlan delivered the deadpan line to Suhaimi when the DPP sought for proceedings to be adjourned to tomorrow as he has a new area to go into.
Sithambaram draws more laughter when he tells Nazlan that "I leave it to your Lordship" in reference to the DPP's earlier assertion that the prosecution would wrap up the examination in chief of Rosli by today.
Nazlan then allows the proceedings to be adjourned to 9am tomorrow, reminding Suhaimi that he has an hour to wrap it up.
Najib didn’t deny his signature was on documents in MACC probe: witness
5.10pm - MACC investigation officer Rosli Hussain testifies that then prime minister Najib Abdul Razak didn’t deny when questioned by the anti-graft watchdog between 2015 and last year on his signatures on documents probed in the SRC International investigation.
The 57th witness says this during examination in chief by DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim.
The witness says Najib did not deny it was his signatures on the bank account opening forms, the mandate letter authorising SRC International Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to deal with Najib's accounts, the cancellation of his credit cards, and cheques issued from his account.
"Najib did not deny that it was his signatures on the documents," Rosli says, adding that Najib had readily admitted to his signatures being on the bank documents when asked by MACC back then.
It was previously reported that the cheques run into millions of ringgit at times.
Bank Negara issued anti-money laundering notice to Affin Bank: witness
4.57pm - MACC investigation officer Rosli Hussain says that Affin Bank, which had the account of Ihsan Perdana, was issued an anti-money laundering notice by Bank Negara.
The 57th witness tells DPP Suhaimi this during the examination in chief, in relation to the notice under Section 37 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act.
Under the Act, Section 37 states that an investigating officer may, via written notice, require a person to deliver documents or information, which he has reason to suspect has been used in the commission of an offence.
Rosli is answering questions from Suhaimi in regards to documents that he obtained in the course of the investigation into the SRC International matter.
4.19pm - Proceedings resume after a short break.
Humour when witness seeks a break
4.01pm - The normally serious court atmosphere is lightened up as the 57th witness and MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain seeks a short break during the prosecution's examination in chief.
"Can we break please?" asks Rosli, interrupting DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim, who is about to ask him more about the bank documents which MACC received from AmBank last year.
Chuckles can be heard further when DPP V Sithambaram stands up and assures Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the prosecution will wrap up the examination in chief by today.
This elicits a smile from Nazlan, who then allows proceedings to break for 10 minutes.
Nik Faisal's original letter to AmBank couldn't be found - witness
3.40pm - The court hears from MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain (above) that investigators could not find the original of a letter sent by Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to AmBank in 2014.
He testifies that MACC could only obtain a copy of the letter, where Nik Faisal (below) as mandated person to operate Najib Abdul Razak's three AmBank accounts authorising Kee Kok Thiam to deposit cash into the accounts.
According to Rosli, AmBank had surrendered the copy of Nik Faisal's letter on Sept 18 last year, together with a note stating that the bank had surrendered its original to Bank Negara Malaysia on July 6, 2015.
DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim: Do you know what happened on July 6, 2015?
Rosli: On July 6, 2015, Bank Negara had conducted seizure of documents from AmBank Jalan Raja Chulan
Suhaimi: So, when you received the letter (from AmBank) together with a copy of the document (Nik Faisal's letter), do you know where was the original?
Rosli: It was stated in the (AmBank's) letter that the document was with Bank Negara Malaysia.
Suhaimi: Did you try to get the original?
Rosli: There were efforts to locate the original document but were futile, and we only have the copy from AmBank.
Suhaimi: Can you explain the efforts to obtain the original document?
Rosli: I have asked Assistant Superintendent Wong to find the document in AmBank, because from our checks on what we received from Bank Negara, we could not find the original. Our efforts failed.
MACC officer confirms documents obtained from AmBank
3.15pm - The court sees DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim continuing his examination-in-chief on prosecution's 57th witness, MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain, with confirmation of banking documents the anti-graft body obtained from AmBank last year.
According to Rosli's testimony, the documents including transfer instructions, thermal receipt and emails were received from AmBank through three letters on May 1, May 31 and June 13, 2018.
The documents were related to, among others, transactions involving former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's 906 and 898 accounts, bank accounts of Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, and Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd.
MACC investigating officer back in the stand
2.42pm - Proceedings resume with the examination-in-chief of MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain by deputy public prosecutor Suhaimi Ibrahim.
Hearing pushed to 2.30pm
10am - Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali pushes the hearing back to 2.30pm this afternoon.
The judge says this is to allow his court to hear the testimony of a chemist in an unrelated drug trial, who will only be available this morning.
Although the prosecution stage is entering its final days, a check of Nazlan's (photo) other criminal cases shows that for the most part, he can only accommodate half-days for the SRC International hearing this week.
Earlier, lawyers for former premier Najib Abdul Razak and prosecutors managed to convince Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah to postpone today's scheduled hearing of the RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial to next Monday.
Najib enters court
9.50am - Accused Najib Abdul Razak enters the court of Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, and takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Today, MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain is expected to resume his examination-in-chief by the prosecution.
Prosecutors and defence lawyers are also expected to discuss the remaining trial dates with Nazlan.
The prosecution stage of Najib Abdul Razak’s RM42 million SRC International graft trial enters its 54th day with MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain resuming his testimony.
The trial continues before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, as the RM2.28 billion 1MDB hearing that was set to start today was adjourned to Monday next week.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who is presiding over the 1MDB trial, allowed the postponement after the case's lead prosecutor, Gopal Sri Ram, pointed out that the prosecution stage of the SRC case is nearing its conclusion.
It is understood that the prosecution will try to wrap up its case in the SRC International trial by Friday this week.
- Mkini
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