SRC trial: Defence to call Latheefa Koya as witness on Monday
LIVE DAY 84 | 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 84 | The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters day 84 today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Nasharudin to bring documents to ascertain Najib's whereabouts on Jan 11, 2010
- Improper for someone other than Arab prince to confirm donation - witness
- Arab prince’s legal rep confirms donation letters to Najib, court hears
- Witness unsure if he met the real Saud Abdul Aziz in Riyadh
- I wasn't involved, so I don't want to be interviewed - MACC officer
- Jho Low referred to Najib as 'boss', says Rosman
- In hindsight, SRC name is toxic: witness
- Witness fears self-incrimination, refuses to answer further questions
Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report
5.10pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Reporting by Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid. Photographs by Syazwan Kamal.
If you like what we do, support independent media by joining our subscription programme for as low as RM0.55 a day. Details here.
Nasharudin to bring documents to ascertain Najib's whereabouts on Jan 11, 2010
3.50pm - MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir will bring to court on Monday next week documents to ascertain where Najib was from Jan 11, 2010.
The eighth defence witness agrees to this request by DPP V Sithambaram (below) during cross-examination.
In previous proceedings, several witnesses testified that on Jan 11, 2010, then premier Najib had been on an unofficial trip to Saudi Arabia, where he met then Saudi Ruler King Abdullah.
During this time, King Abdullah was alleged to have promised donation to Najib's personal accounts.
Sithambaram: As the then investigation officer for the 1MDB case from May 2015 to May 2018, do you know where 1MDB's corporate headquarters is located?
Nasharudin: As far as I know, it is in Kuala Lumpur.
Sithambaram: According to defence witnesses, Najib was in Saudi Arabia on Jan 11, 2010, but at the same time, Najib was said to be conducting the official opening of the (1MDB) corporate headquarters in KL.
As a former IO, can you try to confirm that on Jan 11, 2010, Najib was conducting the official opening of 1MDB HQ in KL?
Nasharudin: I will try.
Sithambaram: Can you bring documents on Monday (to try answer the question)?
Nasharudin: Yes.
Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh then adds that the defence will also be asking Nasharudin on Monday in regards to Najib's whereabouts from Jan 11 to Jan 16, 2010.
Previously, defence witnesses like former Malaysian envoy to Saudi Arabia Syed Omar Syed Mohamad al-Saggaf testified that Najib went on an unofficial visit to Saudi Arabia on Jan 11, 2010, before taking part in the official visit to the Middle Eastern country from Jan 13 to 16 the same year.
Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah also informs the court that the defence will be calling MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya on Monday.
Latheefa is sought by the defence in relation to the audio recording of alleged 1MDB conversations involving Najib and several other personalities. The audio recording was revealed to the media on Jan 8 this year.
Shafee also informs the court that the defence will also prepare other witnesses like former attorney-general Apandi Ali.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then adjourns proceedings for the day and will resume on Monday morning.
Improper for someone other than Arab prince to confirm donation - witness
3.43pm - MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir testifies that it is not proper for someone other than the Arab prince to confirm an alleged donation to then premier Najib Abdul Razak.
The former investigating officer into the RM2.6 billion donation issue tells this to DPP V Sithambaram during cross-examination.
Earlier during examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Nasharuddin confirmed that attorney Abdullah al-Koman signed a statement on behalf of Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud.
Abdullah signed the statement during recording of statement by Nasharudin and another MACC officer in a room in the palace of Saudi ruler King Abdullah in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at 7pm on Nov 29, 2015.
The statement signed by Abdullah allegedly confirmed the authenticity of four letters that purportedly confirmed the donation to Najib.
Sithambaram: Is the person said to be Prince Saud sign any statement by MACC on that day?
Nasharudin: No.
Sithambaram: In your earlier testimony (to Shafee's questions), someone named Abdullah al Koman signed the statement?
Nasharudin: Yes.
Sithambaram: As an IO (investigating officer), can someone other than the person named in the statement (Prince Saud) sign the statement?
Nasharudin: Cannot.
To further questions from Sithambaram, Nasharudin also says that the MACC trip to Saudi Arabia in Nov 2015 did not obtain any documentary evidence to support the alleged donation to Najib.
3.37pm - Proceedings resume after the break.
3.05pm - Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows proceedings to go for a half-hour break to allow the prosecution to prepare cross-examination of MACC investigating officer Mohd Nasharudin Amir.
Arab prince’s legal rep confirms donation letters to Najib, court hears
2.52pm - An MACC investigating officer testifies that an Arab prince’s legal rep confirmed the authenticity of four letters linked to an alleged donation to former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir testifies this during examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Shafee (above) is asking about a statement given by a legal rep of Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud at the palace of then Saudi ruler King Abdullah at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at 7pm on Nov 29, 2015.
While reading through his records of the event, Nasharudin said the legal rep's name was Abdullah al-Koman.
Shafee: Did the person (Abdullah) make a statement (to MACC) that confirms the donation which is consistent with Documents 601 to 604 (the four letters that purportedly confirms the Arab donation to Najib)?
Nasharudin: I cannot say it confirms the donation as the person whose statement was recorded was not the maker of the letters.
Shafee: The court has been informed of this disclaimer (that Abdullah was not the maker of the letters). This recorded (statement) states it or not (that the money was a donation)?
Nasharudin: Yes.
Earlier, DPP V Sithambaram objected to the line of questioning by Shafee to Nasharudin because it should be the alleged prince who is asked the question, not Nasharudin.
Shafee then tells Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that he merely wants the answer to one question which is that the person (Abdullah) who gave the statement to MACC officers at Riyadh confirmed the donation in the four letters.
Nazlan then allows the question.
2.36pm - Proceedings resume after lunch break.
Proceedings adjourn for lunch break, will resume at 2.30pm
12.52pm - Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows the application by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for an extended break.
Shafee says this is to allow MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir, who is the ninth defence witness, to bring to court the statement taken by MACC in regards to a person in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in Nov 2015.
The person, Saud Abdul Aziz, is supposedly the one who made four letters linked to the RM2.6 billion donation to then premier Najib Abdul Razak.
Witness unsure if he met the real Saud Abdul Aziz in Riyadh
12.45pm: An MACC investigation officer previously involved in the probe into the RM2.6 billion donation case is unsure whether the person he met in Riyadh in 2015 was really the person behind the four related letters bearing the name Saud Abdul Aziz.
Ninth defence witness Mohd Nasharudin Amir says this during examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Earlier, Nasharudin testified that between Nov 27 and 29, 2015, he was among a group of people that flew to Saudi Arabia to ascertain the truth behind the four letters linked to the alleged RM2.6 billion donation to Najib.
He said that among the group was MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki and then Attorney-General Chambers’ DPP Dzulkifli Ahmad.
Dzulkifli (below) later became the MACC chief commissioner.
Nasharudin is answering Shafee's question on the person that was interviewed by him (Nasharudin) and another officer at Riyadh.
This person was allegedly the person behind the four letters.
Shafee: Who is this Saud Abdul Aziz?
Nasharudin: If according to the name, sounds like a big person (orang besar), of royalty.
Shafee: Was he a king or son of a king?
Nasharudin: I do not know.
Shafee: You met him.
Nasharudin: I am not sure if the person I met was Saud or not.
Nasharudin describes the place where the person was interviewed as a palace-like big mansion in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
I wasn't involved, so I don't want to be interviewed - MACC officer
12.25pm - MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir testifies that he did not wish to be interviewed by Najib Abdul Razak's defence before testifying as he (Nasharudin) was not involved in the RM42 million SRC International probe.
The ninth defence witness says this during examination-in-chief by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.
Previously, the High Court denied the defence's application to interview Nasharudin before he testifies in court.
Nasharudin: I did not wish to be interviewed as I was not involved in the SRC investigation. Rosli (MACC investigating officer for the RM42 million SRC case) called me. I am not involved in the SRC probe so I do not need to give evidence.
Shafee: But you are giving evidence now.
Nasharudin: I was given a subpoena (to appear in court).
Shafee then informs him that it is up to the court to decide whether the testimony is relevant to the RM42 million SRC case or not, to which Nasharudin agrees.
12.05pm - Proceedings resume after the break, with MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir taking the stand.
Previously, the High Court refused the defence application to compel the MACC investigation officer to sit down for an interview with the defence before taking the stand.
Court takes a half-hour break
11.31am - High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows the application by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for a break as the defence needs to prepare for the next witness.
Earlier, the eighth defence witness Rosman Abdullah, who is also Putrajaya Perdana Bhd group managing director, had wrapped up his re-examination by the defence and had been released from the witness stand.
Jho Low referred to Najib as 'boss', says Rosman
10.58am - Wanted businessperson Jho Low (below) referred to then-premier Najib Abdul Razak as "boss", the High Court hears.
Putrajaya Perdana Bhd group managing director Rosman Abdullah says this during cross-examination by DPP V Sithambaram.
Sithambaram is asking the witness in relation to BBM chats between the witness and Jho Low in relation to the monetary flow of RM27 million into Najib's Ambank accounts.
Sithambaram: He (Jho Low) asked you to inform him (on outcome of transfer) so he could inform his boss.
Rosman: Yes, that is what he said.
Sithambaram: When Jho Low mentioned boss at the time, you knew the boss referred to Najib?
Rosman: Yes.
Sithambaram: You knew from previous communication with Jho Low that he referred to Najib as his boss?
Rosman: Yes.
Sithambaram: You also knew from Azlin (Alias, Najib's then-chief private secretary) that Jho Low had direct contact with Najib?
Rosman: Yes.
The cross-examination's line of questioning is in relation to the various millions of ringgit flowing into and out of PPB's subsidiary Putra Perdana Construction, with RM42 million allegedly transferred into Najib's accounts.
In hindsight, SRC name is toxic: witness
10.26am - In hindsight, the SRC name is toxic, Putrajaya Perdana Bhd (PPB) group managing director Rosman Abdullah testifies.
During examination-in-chief by defence counsel Farhan Read, the eighth defence witness says this in relation to the monetary flow of RM117 million from SRC International into the accounts of PBB's subsidiary.
The RM117 million money flow is allegedly linked to the RM42 million that flowed into Najib Abdul Razak's personal bank accounts between Dec 2014 and Feb 2015.
Earlier, Rosman says that wanted businessperson Jho Low arranged for the RM117 million monetary flow.
"Back in 2014, my knowledge of SRC is limited. Now in hindsight, the name SRC is toxic. Anything to do with SRC is a crime," Rosman says.
Witness fears self-incrimination, refuses to answer further questions
10.24am - Putrajaya Perdana Bhd group managing director Rosman Abdullah refuses to answer Najib Abdul Razak defence’s questions pertaining to RM117 million that flowed into the company's subsidiary.
The eighth defence witness raises this during examination-in-chief by defence counsel Farhan Read.
Farhan is asking further questions to Rosman in relation to the flow of RM117 million into PPB's subsidiary company.
The RM117 million is allegedly linked to the RM42 million that was banked into Najib's personal accounts between Dec 2014 and Feb 2015.
"However, having benefit of hindsight, my answer to some of these questions may incriminate me. I seek the court's guidance," Rosman says from the witness stand.
Farhan then cites Section 132 of the Evidence Act that a witness not excused from answering questions that may incriminate witness.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then directs Rosman to answer the defence's questions, adding that the witness will not be prosecuted unless he gives false answer.
10.13am - Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the dock as proceedings begin at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
Putrajaya Perdana Bhd (PPB) group managing director Rosman Abdullah (below) is set to continue his testimony on the 84th day of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's RM42 million SRC International trial today.
The eighth defence witness will resume his examination-in-chief by the defence team when proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali resumes around 10am.
Proceedings start later than the usual 9am as Rosman has to send his daughter to the airport for a 9am flight to Australia.
Yesterday, the court heard from Rosman that 1MDB-linked fugitive Low Taek Jho or Jho Low was a smooth and effective scammer.
During yesterday's proceedings that began around 2.30pm, seventh witness, AmBank senior vice-president in charge of compliance, Nazaruddin Md Kasim, gave a brief testimony over bank documents linked to remittances into AmBank account 694 between 2011 and 2013.
The brief oral evidence did not delve into the specific amount involved in the remittances into account 694, which past proceedings revealed was one of Najib's older accounts.
The former finance minister's current trial of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering of RM42 million from SRC is in relation to his AmBank accounts 880, 898, and 906.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.