Najib appoints Nik Faisal as authorised personnel for his five AmIslamic Bank accounts. - Bank officer

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here was told today that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak appointed former SRC International Sdn Bhd chief executive officer, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as the authorised personnel for his five AmIslamic Bank accounts.

Ambank (M) Berhad Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager, R. Uma Devi, 43, said the former prime minister appointed Nik Faisal as the authorised personnel for the AmIslamic savings account ending with number 694, and four current accounts, namely AmIslamic (ending with number 481), AmPrivate Banking- 1MY (880), AmPrivate Banking-Y1MY (898) and AmPrivate Banking-MY (906).

She said Nik Faisal's appointment for the AmIslamic accounts (ending with number 694 and 481) was made through a letter to the AmIslamic Bank Berhad Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager, dated March 10, 2011, while the other three accounts were through a letter dated Aug 26, 2013.

Referring to Najib's letter, dated March 10, 2011, Uma Devi said Najib allowed Nik Faisal to make status inquiries, check account details, including balance, and verify cheque that amounted to more than RM250,000.

"This means that the bank needs to obtain confirmation from Nik Faisal to proceed with the transaction for any cheque presented from the account that amounts to more than RM250,000," she added.

Uma Devi was reading out her witness statement during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Najwa Bistamam in the Pekan MP's trial over the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

The 37th prosecution witness also told the court that Najib's three current accounts, namely AmPrivate Banking- 1MY (ending with number 880), AmPrivate Banking-Y1MY (898) and AmPrivate Banking-MY (906) were opened at AmIslamic Bank Berhad Jalan Raja Chulan Branch on July 31, 2013 and all three accounts were closed on March 9, 2015.

Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues this Monday.

-- BERNAMA