KUALA LUMPUR: A former special officer to Datuk Seri Najib Razak was shocked when he found out that more than USD$800,000 (RM3.36mil) was banked into his foreign bank account.
Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, 43, testified that he received a phone call from BSI Switzerland in early 2016, informing him of the matter.
“The officer who called me asked whether I knew about my bank balance and I said I did not know.
“The officer then told me that there was more than USD$800,000 in my account. I was so shocked, as I had no clue about the money, ” he told the High Court at the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial here on Wednesday (Sept 4).
At a later time, Amhari was contacted again by BSI Bank, who informed him that his relationship with the bank would be terminated and he needed to move the money to either a company under his name, or another bank account of his.
Amhari had opened the account with BSI in Singapore upon instructions by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or better known as Jho Low.
At a later time, Amhari was contacted again by BSI Bank, who informed him that his relationship with the bank would be terminated and he needed to move the money to either a company under his name, or another bank account of his.
Amhari had opened the account with BSI in Singapore upon instructions by fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or better known as Jho Low.
During a meeting in 2012, Jho Low instructed both Amhari and the late principal private secretary to Najib, Datuk Seri Azlin Alias, to open bank accounts overseas under their names for Najib’s political purposes.)
“I referred the matter to Jho Low, who instructed me to open an account with Kasikorn Bank in Bangkok, ” he said.
The process to open the account was assisted by a Thai, who was Jho Low’s acquaintance.
“The acquaintance was not a bank officer and I do not remember his name. The name was on the application form and listed as an ‘introducer’, ” Amhari added.
The witness said bank applications in Bangkok would have taken time, usually less than a month, but his Bangkok bank account was successfully opened right then.
The money transfer to Kasikorn, however, was unsuccessful.
“BSI informed me that the matter was delayed and a bank officer would get in touch with me if there was any update. I told Jho Low about this and he said he would resolve it on my behalf.
“Until now, I do not know what happened with the money in the account, ” he added.
Amhari said he had never withdrew the money for personal use or transferred it elsewhere.
“The account was managed and controlled fully by Jho Low for political funds as he had mentioned, ” he said.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Thursday (Sept 5).
Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is expected to conduct his cross-examination on the witness.
Najib, 66, is facing four charges of having used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3bil from 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.
He faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.- Star
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