Najib issued two cheques amounting to RM9.5 million to Shafee - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today was told that former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had deposited two cheques worth RM9.5 million into a personal bank account belonging to lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in 2013 and 2014.

Jalan Raja Chulan Ambank branch manager R.Uma Devi, 42, said the two cheques were issued by Najib on Sept 5, 2013 and Feb 17, 2014.

"Based on Najib's account statement, I confirmed that there was a withdrawal transaction of RM4.3 million from Ambank's account with the last three digits ending 906 via cheque to Muhammad Shafee.

"I confirm that before the withdrawal transaction amounted to RM4.3 million, the balance in this account (Najib) was RM73,400,019.90 while the balance after the withdrawal transaction was RM69,100,019.90," she said.

The first prosecution witness said this when reading out her witness statement on the first day of the trial of Muhammad Shafee, who is facing two counts of money laundering charges involving RM9.5 million allegedly received from Najib, and two charges of making false statements to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB).

Referred to another cheque amounting to RM5.2 million by Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Nithtia, the witness confirmed that it was paid to Muhammad Shafee and that the signature on the cheque was Najib's.

"However, I do not know the purpose of the two cheques issued by Najib to Muhammad Shafee," she said.

Meanwhile, the second prosecution witness, Bukit Tunku CIMB Bank branch manager Rosnita Ahmad, 41, confirmed that RM4.3 million was deposited into Muhammad Shafee's account.

"I also confirmed that RM5.2 million was deposited into the accused's account on Feb 17, 2014. The balance before the transaction was RM33,173.87 and the balance after the transaction was RM5,233,173.87," the witness said.

Representing Muhammad Shafee was lawyer Harvinderjit Singh.

On Sept 13, 2018, Muhammad Shafee pleaded not guilty to receiving proceeds from unlawful activity via cheques issued by Najib, which were remitted into Muhammad Shafee's CIMB Bank Berhad account. He allegedly received a cheque for RM4.3 million on Sept 13, 2013, and another for RM5.2 million on Feb 17, 2014.

The charges, under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, carry a fine not exceeding RM5 million or up to five years' jail or both upon conviction.

Muhammad Shafee is also facing two charges of being involved in transactions of proceeds from unlawful activity, that is by making inaccurate statements and in contravention of paragraph 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for financial years ending Dec 31, 2013 and Dec 31, 2014.

He allegedly committed the offences at IRB's Jalan Duta branch at Kompleks Pejabat Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim here on March 3, 2015 and June 29, 2015.

For this, Muhammad Shafee is liable to be jailed a maximum of 15 years and fined not less than five times the amount of proceeds from the unlawful activity, if convicted.

The trial before Judge Muhammad Jamil Hussin continues May 28.

-- BERNAMA