SRC trial: MACC chief yet to be served with subpoena as she is overseas - defence
LIVE DAY 83 | The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters day 83 today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
LIVE DAY 83 | The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters day 83 today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- MACC chief yet to be served with subpoena as she is overseas - defence
- Jho Low a smooth and effective scammer, court hears
- I referred to Jho Low for key or major decisions, says witness
- Putrajaya Perdana Bhd director takes the witness stand
Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report
5.30pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Reporting by Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid. Photographs by Azneal Ishak and Mukhriz Hazim.
If you like what we do, support independent media by joining our subscription programme for as low as RM0.55 a day. Details here.
MACC chief yet to be served with subpoena as she is overseas - defence
4.20pm - MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya has yet to be served with a subpoena by Najib Abdul Razak's defence team as she is currently overseas, the High Court hears.
Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informs High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali at the end of proceedings this afternoon.
Shafee says that she would only be back by March.
He then jokingly adds that perhaps Latheefa is on a secret mission, eliciting laughter from everyone in court.
Earlier, co-defence counsel Farhan Read (photo) applies for proceedings to adjourn for today and resume tomorrow morning.
Farhan says this is because he needs to confer with Shafee and other members of the defence team on further examination-in-chief questions of Putrajaya Perdana Bhd group managing director Rosman Abdullah.
Rosman Abdullah earlier had finished reading from his prepared witness statement.
Nazlan then adjourns proceedings for today and to resume around 10am tomorrow morning.
This is because Rosman earlier told the court that he has promised to his daughter to send her off at the airport for a 9am flight tomorrow as she is heading back to Australia.
Jho Low a smooth and effective scammer, court hears
3.55pm - Putrajaya Perdana Bhd (PPB) group managing director Rosman Abdullah testifies that Jho Low is a smooth and effective scammer during examination-in-chief by defence counsel Farhan Read.
The defence witness is describing Jho Low following the former's arrest by MACC on July 24 2015, and the witness' remand for four days from July 25 the same year.
Earlier, Rosman testified that he was arrested and remanded in connection to a probe of the flow of money into then premier Najib Abdul Razak's accounts at AmBank.
MACC was also probing transactions amounting to RM170 million involving PPB's related subsidiary.
Rosman earlier today testified that he was shocked when the MACC investigators informed him that the monetary flows had gone into Najib's accounts 880 and 906, claiming that the transfers were done on the direction of Jho Low and that he (Rosman) was not aware then that the accounts were Najib's.
Last year during the prosecution stage of the trial, it arose that Najib's bank accounts with AmBank did not state his names, with the accounts appearing as AmPrivate Banking-1MY (880) and AmPrivate Banking-MY (906).
"Prior to my arrest, JL (Jho Low) came across as a competent and trustworthy business person, and we developed what seemed to me, at that time, to be a cordial professional relationship. I thought of him also as a micromanager.
"Subsequent to my arrest and remand, and now having what seems to be a clear picture of what happened in the RM170 million transfer episode, I would describe him as a highly smooth and effective scammer in so far as these transactions are concerned," Rosman says.
I referred to Jho Low for key or major decisions, says witness
3.05pm - Despite no official role in Putrajaya Perdana Bhd (PPB) Group between 2014 and 2015, Jho Low represented that he controlled the group through UBG Bhd, the High Court hears.
PPB group managing director Rosman Abdullah testifies this during examination-in-chief by defence counsel Farhan Read.
"JL (Jho Low) had no official role in the PPB Group during the 2 years. However, JL represented to me throughout 2011 to 2014, by his conduct and statements that he controlled the PPB Group through UBG Bhd.
"JL was the only one that I dealt with to acquire PPB Group from UBG Bhd. He was also the only one who gave instructions to me. In addition, I referred to JL for key or major decisions.
"At that time, I had no reason to doubt that he was acting in the best interest of the companies. At that time, JL was therefore in control of the PBB Group as the buy-out had not been concluded and was to me still the beneficial owner of the PBB Group," Rosman says.
Earlier, Rosman testified that in 2012, Cendana Destini Sdn Bhd (which he wholly-owned), entered into a share sale agreement to acquire 100 percent interest in PBB Group from UBG Bhd for a share price of RM240 million.
Putrajaya Perdana Bhd director takes the witness stand
2.56pm - Rosman Abdullah will be a witness for the defence.
The company is linked to Putra Perdana Construction, which was allegedly involved in the transfer of RM42 million into the former prime minister's bank accounts between Dec 2014 and Feb 2015.
Najib enters the dock
2.38pm - Najib Abdul Razak enters the dock as proceedings begin.
Following yesterday’s postponement, the 83rd day of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s RM42 million SRC International trial will resume early this afternoon.
Proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali will begin at 2.30pm today.
Yesterday, proceedings were unable to resume as Najib's defence has yet to finalise their interview as well as the witness statement for their witness, Putra Perdana Bhd executive chairperson Rasman Abdullah.
The court was also informed that Pekan MP Najib had been summoned to Istana Negara and prior to that, needed to attend a political meeting at PWTC in Kuala Lumpur yesterday morning.
The PWTC meeting and the royal summon were related to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah wishing to personally interview every member of parliament in Malaysia, which has 222 parliamentary constituencies.
His Majesty wished to do this in order to determine the appointment of a new prime minister. Currently, Dr Mahathir Mohamad is interim premier following an unprecedented political upheaval over the past few days.
When proceedings before Nazlan resumes around 2.30pm this afternoon, the defence is expected to call Rasman to the witness stand.
Putra Perdana is linked to Putra Perdana Construction, which was allegedly involved in the transfer of RM42 million from SRC International into Najib's personal bank accounts between December 2014 and February 2015.
[More to follow]
Report this comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.