KUALA LUMPUR: An analyst from Bank Negara Malaysia told the High Court that Datuk Seri Najib Razak received RM2.3bil of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) proceeds over four phases from 2011 to 2014 through his two personal accounts at AmIslamic Bank Berhad.
Adam Ariff Mohd Roslan, 34, said, according to his analysis, the money trail of the said funds received by the specified two personal bank accounts (ending with numbers 694 and 880) could be traced and separated into four phases, namely the Good Star phase, Aabar-BVI phase, Tanore phase and the options buyback phase.
“For the Good Star phase between Feb 23, 2011 and June 14, 2011, RM60,629,839.43 of the proceeds that were credited into Najib’s 694 AmPrivate Banking – MR account at AmIslamic Bank from an account at Riyad Bank, Saudi Arabia – were found to be traceable to the issuance of 1MDB’s Islamic Medium Term Notes (IMTN) bond in 2009 and its syndicated term loan in 2010.
“For the Aabar-BVI phase between Oct 30, 2012, and Nov 20, 2012, RM90,899,927.28 of the proceeds that were credited into Najib’s 694 account from an account at Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore, held in the name of Blackstone Asia Real Estate Partners, were found to be traceable to the bond issued by 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd in 2012,” said the analyst, who was seconded to the MACC’s 1MDB task force in 2018.
The 47th prosecution witness said this yesterday when reading out his witness statement at the former premier’s trial involving alleged misappropriation of RM2.3bil of 1MDB funds.
The witness also added that for the Tanore phase between March 21, 2013 and April 10, 2013, RM2,081,476,926.00 of the proceeds credited into Najib’s 694 account from an account at Falcon Private Bank, Singapore, held in the name of Tanore Finance Corp, were found to be traceable to the bond issued by 1MDB Global Investment Ltd in 2013.
Apart from that, Adam Ariff also said for the options buyback phase on June 23, 2014, RM4,093,500.00 of the proceeds credited into Najib’s 880 AmPrivate Banking – 1MY account at AmIslamic Bank from an account at DBS Bank, Singapore, held in the name of Blackrock Commodities (Global) Ltd – was found to be traceable to the US$250mil loan proceeds of 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd in 2014.
“During the options buyback phase between Oct 23, 2014 and Dec 19, 2014, RM45,837,485.70 of proceeds credited into Najib’s 880 account from an account at Amicorp Bank, Barbados, held in the name of Vista Equity International Partners Limited, were found to be partially traceable to the US$975mil loan proceeds of 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd in 2014,” he said.
Adam Ariff also testified that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low opened a Swiss bank account for his company, Good Star Ltd, three months before the entity received US$700mil of 1MDB funds in 2009.
He said Jho Low opened Good Star’s bank account on June 11, 2009, and the company received the money on Sept 30, 2009.
According to the banking records, 1MDB instructed Deutsche Malaysia to make the transfer (US$700mil), he said when questioned by deputy public prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar.
However, Najib’s counsel Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee said the defence team maintained its objection over the admissibility of the document that the prosecution was relying on to prove Good Star’s account opening.
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 Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Sept 18. — Bernama
