This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on February 6, 2020
KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) chief cashier Azimah Aziz told the High Court yesterday that Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director (MD) Saidi Abang Samsudin withdrew a total of RM6.5 million in cash via two separate transactions in 2016 and 2017 for “his business”.
Azimah, 38 — the third prosecution witness who previously worked at the bank’s Medan Tuanku branch — said RM5 million was withdrawn in 2016 and the remaining RM1.5 million was taken out in 2017.
“I received instructions from one Aidawati informing of Saidi’s intention to withdraw the RM5 million from his personal account in RM100 denomination on Dec 19, 2016.
“As the Medan Tuanku branch kept only RM1.2 million, the branch had an insufficient amount and had to request it (the balance) from the headquarters,” she said when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Najwa Bistamam.
She said an armoured security vehicle delivered the RM5 million to the branch the next day, and that the money was kept in the bank’s cash room and counted again in the presence of Saidi and another person before it was handed to Saidi.
In senior DPP Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram’s opening statement, he said that Saidi gave RM5 million to the accused, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, after Jepak was given a letter of award for a solar contract by the ministry of education.
“The money was delivered to the accused’s official residence in Putrajaya and received by her after confirming with [her former aide] Datuk Rizal [Mansor] that the sum was in fact RM5 million.
The wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Rosmah, is charged with soliciting RM187.5 million for the award of a project to supply solar energy to schools in rural Sarawak worth RM1.25 billion. She is also charged with receiving a bribe of RM6.5 million in relation to the same project.
‘Withdrawal for business purposes’
In her testimony, Azimah added that on Sept 6, 2017, she received another instruction via WhatsApp from Aidawati that Saidi wanted to make a withdrawal of RM1.5 million the next day and that he wanted it to be in denomination of RM100.
Again, she approached the headquarters for the amount which was delivered the next day.
“The money was counted again before Saidi in the cash room. There were 15 batches of RM100,000 each given to Saidi.
“I did ask Saidi when he withdrew the RM5 million and RM1.5 million about the huge withdrawal, and he merely replied it was for his business. As he did not want to relate further, I decided not to ask further and gave him the money,” she said.
According to Sri Ram’s statement, the RM1.5 million was delivered to Rosmah’s house at No 11, Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta, the same day (Sept 7, 2017).
Under cross-examination by lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork, Azimah admitted that the signatures on the two cash cheques by Saidi appeared different. But she pointed out that prior to releasing the funds, the bank had verified Saidi’s fingerprints.
“Furthermore, my superiors did not object to the release of the funds,” she said.
MACC photographer took pictures of Rosmah’s residence
Earlier, the prosecution’s second witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) photographer Mohd Redzuan Othman, testified that he took 10 photographs of Rosmah’s residence on Nov 2, 2018.
“I went there with MACC officers Senior Assistant Superintendent Mohd Ahyar Salleh Hudin and Superintendent Rekhraj Singh a/l Jaswant,” he said when questioned by DPP Poh Yih Tinn.
Mohd Redzuan said he took pictures as Saidi revealed where he had allegedly left the money in the house.
“There were three living room areas in the house and the money was placed next to the sofa in the third living room,” he said.
Cross-examined by counsel Datuk Akberdin Abdul Kader, Mohd Redzuan agreed that investigating officer Noornabilah Mohd Aziman was not present when the pictures were taken.
“However, the captions for the pictures were given by her,” he said.
Hearing before Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues today at 10am.