Raid at Ambank branch netted bank account documents on Najib, SRC

Bank Negara enforcement personnel netted the bank account documents involving former premier Najib Abdul Razak, SRC International Sdn Bhd and Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd in a raid at commercial bank Ambank’s Raja Chulan branch on July 6, 2015.

During examination-in-chief in today’s second day trial of Najib in relation to alleged wrongdoing at SRC International, the prosecution’s second witness and Bank Negara investigation officer Azizul Adzani Abdul Ghafar (above) testified that he was part of the raid which netted the documents critical in the case.

(It is noted that the raid came four days after the Wall Street Journal reported that investigators believe at least US$700 million had flowed into Najib's bank account)

Having been Bank Negara’s investigation officer since 2008, Azizul, 41, told DPP Suhaimi Ibrahim during proceedings at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, that he was the raiding officer who was handed the documents by the bank’s branch manager R Uma Devi.

Suhaimi: What were you investigating on July 6, 2015?

Azizul: I was appointed as the raiding officer by (Bank Negara's) investigating officer Ahmad Farhan Sharifuddin over suspected offences committed under Amla (the Anti-Money Laundering Act).

Suhaimi: Where did you conduct the raid?

Azizul: At an Ambank branch at Raja Chulan, KL.

Suhaimi: Why were you ordered to carry out the raid at Ambank?

Azizul: To aid investigation under Amla based on a report. I went with three other Bank Negara officers.

Suhaimi: Who did you meet at the Ambank branch?

Azizul: I met R Uma Devi, the manager of the Ambank branch at Raja Chulan. I informed Uma Devi orally of the list of accounts that are sought for a probe by Bank Negara. She then came back with several troves of the documents.

Suhaimi: Then what did you do?

Azizul: I looked through the trove of documents (comprised of account opening documents and supporting documents) and recorded them in the list of confiscated items.

This record is for the purpose of the investigation by Bank Negara.

When the confiscation list was produced in court, Azizul confirmed his signature on the document, as well as that of Uma Devi, who signed on it upon handing over the bank documents to Azizul.

When Suhaimi asked how many sets of documents were seized, Azizul said there are eight sets of documents, which dealt with bank account openings from 2011 to 2015, involving four by Najib (photo), three linked to SRC International, and one involving Gandingan Mentari.

Suhaimi: Then to whom did you hand over (the seized documents)?

Azizul: I handed it over to the (Bank Negara) investigation officer Farhan on July 7, 2015.

Suhaimi: What other documents did you hand over to Farhan?

Azizul: The list of confiscated items and the seized documents.

Suhaimi: The documents you handed over were just like the ones just now (produced in court for confirmation by Azizul)?

Azizul: Yes.

When Suhaimi asked whether Azizul can read out loud his letter of appointment (as Bank Negara raiding officer), the witness read his appointment dated June 30, 2015, with his full name, picture and signature, who was empowered to carry out duty as an investigation officer under Amla and the Financial Services Act 2013, for every purpose subject to Bank Negara.

The said appointment is in relation to him carrying out the raid on the Ambank Raja Chulan branch on July 6, 2015.

During proceedings, Suhaimi also called Farhan and Uma Devi to appear in court and asked Azizul whether these two were the people whom he dealt with in relation to the 2015 raid, to which he confirmed.

The trial resumes tomorrow before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, with the same witness expected to be cross-examined by Najib’s defence team.

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