KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 5): Maybank chief cashier Azimah Aziz told the High Court today that Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin withdrew a total of RM6.5 million in cash over two separate transactions in 2016 and 2017, for “his business”.

Azimah, 38, the prosecution's third witness who previously worked at the bank’s Medan Tuanku branch, said RM5 million was withdrawn in 2016 and the remaining RM1.5 million taken out in 2017.

"I received instructions from one Aidawati informing me 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 headquarters," she said when questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Najwa Bistamam.

She said an armoured security vehicle delivered the RM5 million to the branch the next day, and 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 Deputy Public Prosecutor 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 Education Ministry.

“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.

In her testimony, Azimah added that on Sept 6, 2017, she received another 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 denominations of RM100.

Again she approached 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 is 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)

When cross-examined by lawyer Azrul Zulkifli Stork, Azimah admitted 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 finger prints.

“Furthermore, my superiors did not object to the release of the funds,” she said.

Earlier, the prosecution's second witness Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission photographer Mohd Redzuan Othman, testified that he took 10 photographs in 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.

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, 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 tomorrow at 10am.