Najib returned RM2bil to Tanore before closing bank account, says witness

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here heard from a witness that Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak closed his Ambank account ending with "-694" after transferring more than RM162mil to his new account at the same bank.

The money is allegedly illicit funds obtained from unlawful activities by 1MDB Global Investment Limited (1MDB GIL)

Assistant Director of the Money Laundering Criminal Investigation Division ACP Foo Wei Min, 47, said on Thursday (Oct 12) that the funds were transferred to Najib’s new Ambank account ending with the number "-880" through two transactions, each amounting to RM150,000,000 and RM12,436,711.87, on Aug 27 and 30, 2013.

"The final balance (in the old account) after these transactions was RM0.00. The old account was closed on the same date, which is Aug 30,” he said.

The 48th prosecution witness said this when reading out his witness statement during the examination in chief by deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar in Najib's trial involving the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3bil of 1MDB funds.

Meanwhile, Foo said his investigation revealed that a total of RM2,034,350,000 was returned to Tanore Finance Corporation in Singapore through five transactions between Aug 2 and 23, 2013.

"Based on my ‘First In, First Out’ (FIFO) investigation, and supporting documents, there were overseas transfers of illicit funds from 1MDB at Tanore level, which were received by Datuk Seri Najib, (to the Tanore account at Falcon Private Bank Limited) through five transactions.

"These transfers followed letters of instruction from Datuk Seri Najib dated July 30, 2013, and Aug 21, 2013, and Ambank carried out the transfer of funds amounting to RM2,034,350,000 from account 694 to Tanore, equivalent to US$620,000,000,” the witness said.

"All five transactions were routed through JP Morgan Chase Bank to be credited to the Tanore account at Falcon Private Bank Limited, Singapore,” he said.

Najib, 70, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3bil belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Oct 18. - Bernama