1MDB trial: RM2.08b flowed into Najib's account in early 2013 - banker

 

1MDB TRIAL | A bank branch manager testified that Najib Abdul Razak received more than RM2.08 billion in his bank account in early 2013.

R Uma Devi told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this afternoon that the former prime minister received RM2,081,476,926.00 in his account ending with 694 at AmIslamic Bank, via nine tranches, between March and April that year.

The 37th prosecution witness testified that RM2,034,350,000 then left the former finance minister's account via five transactions between Aug 2 and Aug 23, 2013.

While reading out her written witness statement, Uma Devi said the RM2.08 billion was deposited into the accused's account between March 22 and April 10, 2013.

She was testifying during the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against the accused, who can be seen in the dock.

Najib is being tried over four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund.

In the prosecution's opening statement at the beginning of the trial back on Aug 28, 2019, lead deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram contended that the crime was allegedly committed through four phases spanning from 2011 to 2014.

Prosecutors contended that the first nine money laundering charges relate to alleged receiving of RM2,081,476,926 which forms the subject matter of the amended third charge and that the monies purportedly fell into the accused's account ending 694 with AmIslamic Bank.

The prosecution claimed that between Aug 2, 2013, and Aug 23, 2013, the accused transferred a sum of RM2,034,350,000 to Tanore Singapore.

Bank branch manager R Uma Devi

Prosecutors also alleged that simultaneously, the accused had used the balance of RM22,649,000 to pay four entities and one individual, as the prosecution's case is that all these payments purportedly benefitted the accused.

The 1MDB proceedings before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah are set to resume tomorrow until Thursday this week.

The offences

In relation to the four abuse of power charges, the Pekan MP was alleged to have committed the offence at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering counts, Najib is purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and several others, with Najib’s blessings.

The accused’s defence team, however, claimed that the former prime minister had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Low and other members of the fund’s management.

Uma Devi also previously testified for the prosecution in a separate criminal trial against Najib involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Both 1MDB and SRC International are fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

Najib also used to be the chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers and served as adviser emeritus to SRC International.

The Pekan MP is serving a 12-year jail sentence, after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the SRC International conviction over seven criminal charges, as well as the custodial term and RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail. - Mkini