Banker confirms over RM45 mln transferred into Najib's personal account in 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today heard that over RM45.8 million was transferred into Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's AmBank personal account via Vista Equity International Partners Ltd (Barbados) between October and December 2014.

Ambank (M) Berhad's Treasury Operations Department vice president, Salmah Daman Huri, 50, through her witness statement, said the funds totalling GBP8,706,021.92 million (RM45,837,485.70 - conversion rate at the material time) were transferred into the former premier's account ending with 880 in five transactions.

Vista Equity is a shell company owned and controlled by Eric Tan, a trusted associate of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.

"A sum of RM30,032,250 was transferred on Oct 23, 2014, and RM3,624,473.70 and RM 11,567.57 on Nov 24 and 26 respectively.

"Two other transactions of RM5,360,065 and RM6,809,129.43 took place on Dec 10 and 18," said the 23rd prosecution witness during the former prime minister's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Salmah confirmed five documents, which all showed transfers from Vista Equity through Amicorp Bank and Trust Ltd, Barbados via Standard Chartered Bank, London before it reached this same "AmPrivate Banking-1MY" account ending with 880.

On the first day of the trial, the prosecution said it would show that 1MDB funds had been transferred in multiple transactions to Najib's accounts, namely US$20 million equivalent to RM60,629,839.43 or over RM60 million from the first phase, US$30 million equivalent to RM90,899,927.28 or over RM90 million (second phase), US$681 million equivalent to RM2,081,476,926 or over RM2 billion (third phase), and transactions in British pound that were equivalent to RM4,093,500 and RM45,837,485.70 or a combined total of RM49,930,985.70 million or over RM49 million (fourth phase).

During cross-examination by Najib's counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed, Salmah admitted that no red flag was raised by Bank Negara nor AmBank when the transactions took place.

She further said that she was unaware that the account ending with 880 belonged to Najib at the material time and she only knew about it during the investigation by the authority.

The witness also testified that she could not confirm that the foreign exchange transactions came from Najib as her department dealt with the account holder's relationship manager over these transactions.

When re-examined by senior deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, the witness said usually the bank would send bank statements to customers at the end of the month to notify them, the balance amount in their account.

To another question by DPP Najwa Bistamam, the witness said Najib never raised any reports against the said transactions to the bank.

Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA