دويت 1مدب ماسوق اكاءون بڠك نجيب، بكس چفو بريتاهو محكمه
A former 1MDB official told the High Court today that money from the state investment arm had been channelled into former prime minister Najib Razak’s bank account.
Azmi Tahir, who was chief financial officer from 2012 to 2017, said this during re-examination by ad-hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram in Najib’s corruption trial.
The prosecution contended that a sum of RM2.28 billion – from 1MDB – had entered Najib’s accounts between February 2011 and December 2014. In their opening statement, they said they would prove that Najib “took several steps that led to part of 1MDB’s funds being channelled into his accounts through a circuitous route to prevent detection of its source”.
Azmi also told the court that Najib had never summoned him or other senior management staff or the company directors to ask them about various transactions that took place during his tenure.
KUALA LUMPUR: A former 1MDB official told the High Court today that money from the state investment arm had been channelled into former prime minister Najib Razak’s bank account.
Azmi Tahir, who was chief financial officer from 2012 to 2017, said this during re-examination by ad-hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram in Najib’s corruption trial.
Sri Ram showed Azmi a series of bank transactions on 1MDB funds between 2013 and 2014. The lawyer pointed out that parts of the 1MDB funds had entered into two AmBank accounts ending with 694 and 880.
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He added that a total of US$681 million had entered into the 694 account and RM45.8 million in the 880 account.
Sri Ram: Do the 694 and 880 accounts belong to you?
Azmi: No. The accounts belong to Datuk Seri (Najib).
TONTON: NAJIB DICABAR DEBAT LAGI
Sri Ram asked Azmi if he knew whether Najib had “siphoned” 1MDB funds. However, Najib’s lawyer Hariharan Singh objected, saying the prosecution’s re-examination questions were “unfair and incorrect”.
Sri Ram then rephrased the question.
Sri Ram: Did the accused (Najib) disclose to you in any of the meetings that he had got the money?
Azmi: No
The prosecution contended that a sum of RM2.28 billion – from 1MDB – had entered Najib’s accounts between February 2011 and December 2014. In their opening statement, they said they would prove that Najib “took several steps that led to part of 1MDB’s funds being channelled into his accounts through a circuitous route to prevent detection of its source”.
Azmi also told the court that Najib had never summoned him or other senior management staff or the company directors to ask them about various transactions that took place during his tenure.
“Never. As the PM, he could have (summoned the management and directors) but I don’t recall him calling us.
“Like I said, my contract was even renewed (in 2015),” he said.
Sri Ram: But if he wanted to, he could have. Would you have gone?
Azmi: I don’t see how I could refuse.
Azmi also told the court that Najib had never reprimanded him for taking instructions from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, as well as Najib’s then principal private secretary Azlin Alias.
“I believed the instructions came from Datuk Seri (Najib) and Jho Low was acting as his representative (in 1MDB),” he added.
Sri Ram then asked Azmi if he had obtained any “financial benefit” from 1MDB funds or from Low.
“Definitely not,” Azmi told the court.
The hearing continues before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. The defence will continue with the cross-examination of Azmi on another day.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
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