1MDB trial: Witness admits not knowing authenticity of own testimony

A former finance ministry officer admitted in court that she was not aware of the accuracy of the details in her own written witness statement.

Siti Zauyah Md Desa said this during the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

Previously on June 20, the prosecution witness testified - while reading from her prepared witness statement - that former finance minister II Ahmad Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah refused to get involved in 1MDB.

Earlier on June 15, Siti Zauyah testified that Malaysia still owed RM13.3 billion in 1MDB loan.

During cross-examination by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah this morning, Siti Zauyah conceded that the written witness statement was prepared by other Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc) officers.

She admitted that the statement was drafted without her presence and that only given to her at the last minute to be signed, without her having enough time to peruse it beforehand.

Shafee had intensified his cross-examination of Siti Zauyah when the witness kept saying “I do not know” to many of his questions about the documents that she herself cited in her witness statement.

Shafee: Did you draft the witness statement yourself?

Siti Zauyah: No, officers from MOF Inc did.

Shafee: Who were the officers in the MOF Inc?

Siti Zauyah: Afidah Azwa and Hasniza (no full name known as of press time).

Shafee: Did you read this statement and agreed to it after having read it?

Did you or did you not read it?

Siti Zauyah: I was only given it at the last minute and not given (time) to read everything.

Shafee: So you do not know if everything stated here is correct?

Siti Zauyah: I do not know. It is not within my knowledge.

Shafee: Did they show you this to certify under your knowledge?

Siti Zauyah: It was drafted by my office but not in my presence, I was just given the document (to be signed).

Shafee to confer with DPP

When the defence counsel asked whether the 26th prosecution witness does not know the accuracy of the details in her witness statement or whether it was within her personal knowledge, she agreed.

Shafee then sought a brief stand down of proceedings so that he could confer with deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib and other prosecutors on the next course of action.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah then adjourned proceedings to this afternoon.

When proceedings resumed, Shafee continued to cross-examine Siti Zauyah regarding the difficulty of MOF Inc trying to obtain investment documentation from its subsidiary 1MDB.

She then lamented how difficult it was for MOF Inc as 1MDB’s then CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi did not share documents despite repeated requests.

Shafee: So, he (Shahrol) was rude with MOF Inc?

Siti Zauyah: Those are your words, Tan Sri (Shafee). He (Shahrol) did not respect (MOF Inc).

In her witness statement, Siti Zauyah contended that she complained to Husni among others higher up about the problem, but that the matter was allegedly never resolved.

She also claimed today that this state of affairs at 1MDB still persists today.

The witness added that she retired on Nov 14, 2019.

Proceedings before Sequerah will continue on Sept 5.

Najib, who is also Pekan MP, is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB’s funds.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was done by businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) with the blessing of Najib.

The defence team, however, claimed the accused had no knowledge of wrongdoing and that the whole embezzlement scheme was solely masterminded by Low and several members of the fund’s management team.

Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail term over the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, and was brought to the Kuala Lumpur Courts Complex today by Kajang Prison officers.

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