Witness: Najib never sued bank between 2015-2018 over account transactions

1MDB Trial | A bank branch manager testified that Najib Abdul Razak never filed a civil action against AmBank between 2015 and 2018.

R Uma Devi told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that the former prime minister and finance minister never complained to the commercial bank back then about the transactions in his bank accounts.

During the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial against Najib today, the 37th prosecution witness was replying to questions put forward by deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram during examination-in-chief.

Uma (above) testified that the bank has a system where the customer is sent bank statements every month, and that Najib never raised complaints about the transactions at the time.

Sri Ram: In this case (RM2.28 billion 1MDB graft case), did he ever, by looking at the records, complain about the state of his accounts to the bank?

Uma: No.

Sri Ram: You joined the bank in 2015?

Uma: Joined in 2012 and was transferred to the (Jalan) Raja Chulan (bank branch) in 2015.

Sri Ram: From 2015 to 2018, did the accused file any (court) proceedings against your bank for mishandling his account, as far as your knowledge?

Uma: To my knowledge, no.

In Dec 2019, Najib mounted a civil action against the bank and its former relationship manager, Joanna Yu, over alleged negligence linked to the purported disclosing of his bank account information to fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.

However, Najib failed at both the Kuala Lumpur High Court and the Court of Appeal in the civil action.

Meanwhile, while reading from her written witness statement at midday, Uma testified that Najib issued around 71 cheques from his account ending with number 694, between March and December 2011 amounting to RM15.2 million.

The banker claimed that among the recipients were former deputy transport minister Ab Aziz Kraprawi via a cheque dated Oct 11, 2011, with the amount of RM100,000 and former deputy international trade and industry minister Jacob Dungau Sagan (RM200,000).

Other recipients mentioned by the witness were Tun Razak Umno division (RM200,000), Indera Mahkota Umno division (RM200,000), Institut Terjemahan Negara Malaysia Berhad (RM966,000), Yayasan Rahah (RM1.5 million) and Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur (RM395,782.49).

She added that Najib’s savings account ending with the number 694 earned a collective interest of RM1,253,924.80 as of Dec 31, 2011.

1MDB proceedings before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah is set to resume tomorrow morning.

Najib’s health condition

The trial adjourned around 12.35pm due to Najib needing to see the doctor over his health condition which the prosecution informed the court was “quite bad”.

Last week, Uma testified that Najib’s appointment of then 1MDB chief investment officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as his authorised mandate holder was equivalent to the then premier being responsible for transactions in his personal accounts.

Najib is being tried over four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

The Pekan MP was alleged to have committed four counts of corruption at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering charges, Najib is purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by Low and several others, with Najib’s blessings.

The accused’s defence team, however, claimed that the ex-prime minister had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and the embezzlement was solely masterminded by Low and other members of the fund’s management.

Uma also testified for the prosecution in a separate criminal trial against Najib involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Both 1MDB and SRC International are fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

Najib also used to be the chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers and served as adviser emeritus to SRC International.

The Pekan MP is serving a 12-year jail sentence, after the Federal Court on Aug 23 dismissed his appeal against the SRC International conviction over seven criminal charges, as well as the custodial term and RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail.

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