KUALA LUMPUR (March 9): Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) deputy director for corporate crime investigations, assistant commissioner (ACP) R Rajagopal has today testified that former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed suggested charging former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak with offences related to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and its former subsidiary SRC International Sdn Bhd in a 1MDB special task force meeting on July 4, 2015.
However, the suggestion did not come through as then attorney-general (AG) Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail was later removed from his position on July 27, 2015, about three weeks after the meeting.
In 2015, a special task force that consisted of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the AG, the MACC chief commissioner and Bank Negara Malaysia’s governor was entrusted to investigate the 1MDB scandal.
However, investigative efforts by the task force came to a halt in August 2015 following confirmation by MACC that it was no longer needed, a few days after Gani’s removal from office.
Rajagopal, who was at the time the head of the investigation unit for corporate crimes, told the court today that the meeting on July 4, 2015 was held at Gani's private residence in Bukit Tunku.
He attended on behalf of the then IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar. The meeting was also attended by then MACC chief Abu Kassim, as well as then BNM governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
Besides that, the former head of the Financial Intelligence and Enforcement unit, Abd Rahman Abu Bakar from BNM, was also in attendance.
It was also decided during the meeting that the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) were to raid 1MDB office to obtain relevant documents.
The witness was testifying in the SRC trial, where Najib is accused of seven counts of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million from the company.
The Edge is reporting the proceedings of the SRC trial live.