‘RM2.08bil went to Najib’

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of RM2.08bil was transferred into former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s private bank account through nine transactions in 2013.

The money went into Najib’s AmIslamic bank account, ending with the digits 694, through transactions that took place in March and April 2013, the High Court heard.

Based on the account statement, AmBank (M) Bhd Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager R. Uma Devi said sums of RM155,000 went into Najib’s account on March 22, 2013, three times.

Four days later, on March 26, RM188,001,963.02 was credited into the account.

“On March 28, RM231,150,000 and RM138,824,962.98 went into the account in two transactions,” Uma Devi told the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial here yesterday.

Three other transactions took place on April 8, 9 and 10, with RM152.5mil, RM304mil and RM602mil banked in respectively.

The total for all nine transactions was RM2,081,476,926.

“I confirm that money went into the account, based on the account statement dated April 14, 2013,” the 37th prosecution witness said.

To a question by Deputy Public Prosecutor Najwa Bistamam on whether an ATM card was given to the account holder, Uma Devi said that, based on the record, no ATM card was granted.

In his opening statement, lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram told the court that nine money laundering charges faced by Najib in the case involved a sum of RM2,081,476,926.

He said RM2,034,350,000 was transferred to Tanore Singapore between Aug 2 and Aug 23, 2013, while the balance of RM22,649,000 was used to pay four entities and an individual.

“It is the prosecution’s case that all these payments benefited the accused,” Sri Ram said then.

Earlier, Uma Devi said RM90.9mil had flowed into Najib’s private bank account in October and November of 2012.

She testified that, based on the bank account statements, some RM15,149,963.64 went into his account ending 694 on Oct 31, 2012.

Another RM75,749,963.64 went into the same account on Nov 20, 2012.

The court also heard that in November and December 2011, the Pekan MP issued cheques amounting to RM2,494,000 to several parties.

These parties included Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd (RM494,900.00), Yayasan Rahah (RM1mil), ORB Solutions Sdn Bhd (RM450,000), Mashi Publication Sdn Bhd (RM30,000) and Transformasi Kreatif (RM520,000).

Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.28bil from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The hearing before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues today.