1MDB staff shadowed my movements at event - witness

 

1MDB trial | Former 1MDB chairperson Mohd Bakke Salleh testified that he was shadowed by personnel from the sovereign wealth fund at an event in November 2009.

During the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak today, the 15th prosecution witness claimed this took place when he attended a ceremony at the fund’s office at Menara IMC, Jalan Tun Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Bakke was replying to a question from the accused’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on whether the witness tried to meet then finance minister Najib at the event.

Previously, the witness testified he harboured a suspicion that the accused was involved in irregular financial transactions at 1MDB. Bakke had resigned as the fund’s chairperson in October 2009, a month before the event.

In past proceedings, Bakke had also testified that Najib did not respond to his SMS about the former’s concerns with irregular transactions at 1MDB.

During the cross-examination by Shafee this afternoon, Bakke claimed that he received an invitation to the event and that he went there out of respect to the 1MDB board members and the fund’s shareholder (Najib through the Minister of Finance Incorporated).

He claimed that the event was a formal signing ceremony regarding the joint venture between 1MDB and Petrosaudi International Limited (PSI) but that the actual signing had already been carried out earlier in September 2009.

It was reported that US$700 million of 1MDB funds meant for the joint venture was diverted to Good Star Limited, an entity allegedly controlled by businessperson Low Taek Jho.

Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah

Shafee: You met the PM (Najib) at the event?

Bakke: No, my movement was monitored by a 1MDB employee from the time I arrived at the location (of the event), and right until the time I left the event at the office of 1MDB.

Shafee: You said you were being monitored and watched by one of the employees of 1MDB, even followed right up to the toilet. Why?

Bakke: My guess is as good as yours.

Shafee: I cannot guess as good as you because I was not there. That is why I am asking you.

Guest of honour

Bakke, however, acknowledged that while at the event, he never tried to actually meet up with Najib, adding that the then premier was the guest of honour there, and the witness was nowhere near the accused then.

He also conceded that he would not know if the 1MDB staff would have stopped him from meeting Najib if he really wanted to meet the then premier.

The criminal trial before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah is set to resume tomorrow morning.

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB’s funds.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was done by fugitive Low with the blessing of Najib.

The defence team claimed the accused had no knowledge of wrongdoing and that the whole embezzlement scheme was solely masterminded by Low and several members of the fund’s management team.

Besides being a former premier and finance minister, Najib also was the chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers. - Mkini