The Sessions Court in Kuala Lumpur was today told that National Feedlot Corporation’s (NFC) former chairperson Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail had instructed that a RM1 million payment to businessman Shamsubahrin Ismail be halted upon finding out that he was an alleged fraud.

NFC’s former financial manager Hashimah Ahmad, 37, said Mohamad Salleh was made aware of the matter through her after she and Mohamad Salleh’s secretary checked Shamsubahrin’s background on the Internet.

She said Mohamad Salleh then instructed her to seek the assistance of Bukit Aman CID (Commercial) investigating officer, ASP Mohd Nor Hashimaizam Othman for further information on Shamsubahrin.

“Hashimaizam told me that some reports had been lodged against Shamsubahrin; I expressed to him (Hashimaizam) that Mohamad Salleh could have been cheated by the man,” she said.

Hashimah was testifying as the prosecution’s 17th witness in the trial of Shamsubahrin who is facing 17 charges under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 involving RM1.755 million.

Shamsubahrin also faces five counts of cheating Mohamad Salleh under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

Replying to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission prosecution unit head Abdul Razak Musa during examination in-chief, she said Shamsubahrin often contacted and sent short messaging services (SMSes) to her to ask for the RM1 million payment balance.

“I did ask Shamsubahrin what the money was for and he told me it (RM1 million) was to pay six deputy public prosecutors (DPPs),” she said.

She told the court that she was unable to identify the DPPs as at the time she had no idea what ‘DPP’ meant.

Meanwhile, Hashimah told the court that she lodged a police report on a threat by Shamsubahrin against her through the telephone on the night he was detained on Dec 21, last year.

The hearing before Judge Rozilah Salleh continues on Nov 29.

- Bernama