KUALA LUMPUR (March 10): Datuk Seri Najib Razak's former principal private secretary Tan Sri Shukry Salleh revealed today that he saw the former prime minister holding papers containing charts of a purported money trail into Najib's account back in February 2016.
The defence witness told the court that the money flow chart was similar to the ones revealed by former attorney general Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali at a press conference on Jan 26, 2016, announcing that Najib was cleared of any wrongdoing in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and SRC International Sdn Bhd scandals.
During the press conference, Apandi held up two papers which showed the monetary flow chart into Najib's account, claiming that it was a donation from the Saudi royal family.
However, the next day, Petaling Jaya Utara (now Damansara) MP Tony Pua said the charts showed the money trail involving SRC, revealing the fund transfer to AmBank private accounts owned by the former premier.
Pua said Apandi had accidentally “dug the grave” for Najib because the chart showed how RM27 million was transferred from SRC into his accounts.
The charts were tendered by appointed public prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram in court yesterday as evidence.
In January 2016, Apandi had released two press statements on the investigations into 1MDB and SRC. The first press release on Jan 8 was to explain that a task force comprising the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the police, the Attorney General's Chambers and Bank Negara Malaysia was set up to investigate the two entities and that investigations were underway.
The second, on Jan 26, was titled “In relation to the investigation papers returned by MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) on SRC International and RM2.6 billion”.
Earlier, Shukry said he was instructed by Najib on Feb 26 to get the latter's bank statement from then deputy public prosecutor Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad.
Dzulkifli was later appointed as MACC chief commissioner.
Najib is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his power as prime minister, and three counts of money laundering over SRC funds amounting to RM42 million.
If found guilty, he is liable to a 20-year jail term and a fine of RM5 million or five times the amount of money laundered, whichever is higher.
The proceedings will continue at 2.30pm later today with Dzulkifli coming in as the next defence witness.
The Edge is reporting the proceedings of the SRC trial live.