Rosmah and not Najib, as previously thought, charged RM3.282m to Najib’s card allegedly on a jewellery gift from De Grisogono boutique for the wife of then Qatar premier Hamad Jassim.
2pm: The accused Najib Abdul Razak enters the Kuala Lumpur High Court and takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Also seen in court is DPP V Sithambaram and other DPPs, as well as Najib’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and other members of the defence team.
2.15pm: Najib enters the witness stand as proceedings begin.
2.18pm: Shafee informs High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the defence team will file an application to obtain the audio recording on Najib’s alleged 1MDB-linked conversations from MACC.
“The MACC provided a tape recording, and they disclosed it to the world at large. The majority of its contents are usable for our defence,” Shafee says.
Sithambaram then tells the court that the prosecution reserves its right to object or not object to the application, pending the prosecution having seen its details.
2.28pm: Today’s cross-examination of Najib starts with Sithambaram asking him about the RM3.282 million charged to his credit cards to purchase jewellery in Italy in Sept 2014.
Najib had previously testified that he spent the amount to purchase a gift from De Grisogono jewellery boutique for the wife of then Qatar premier Hamad Jassim.
However, the court now hears that it was not Najib who made the purchase.
Najib testifies that he had left the task to shop for the jewellery to his wife Rosmah Mansor, who had used his credit card to do so.
This is revealed when Sithambaram queries Najib on how many pieces of jewellery were actually purchased from the boutique for Hamad’s wife, to which Najib answers: “It’s a piece of jewellery.”
However, Sithambaram then asks the politician to refer to his bank statement, which listed the purchase of 10 items from De Grisogono on that date.
After studying the statement, Najib then tells the court that it looked like it was a set of jewellery.
“Looks like it is a set. But I have to check with my wife. She purchased the item,” he says.
2.33pm: Sithambaram moves his questioning to a letter which was purported to be an acknowledgement by the wife of former Qatar PM Hamad Jassim for a jewellery gift from Najib Abdul Razak in 2014.
The lawyer asks Najib if he needs to call anyone to testify that the RM3.282 million worth of jewellery had indeed been given to the woman.
To this, Najib says: “We are looking into it.”
Sithambaram: I’m putting it to your Datuk Seri, that there was no gift of this sum to the wife of the PM of Qatar. You agree or disagree?
Najib: I disagree.
Sithambaram: And I’m putting it to you that this letter was produced after the event to explain the RM3.282 million worth of expenses.
Najib: I disagree.
2.43pm: Najib says he does not remember if the purported billions of ringgit in donations he received from the Saudi royal family was used for relief efforts in the 2014 Kelantan floods.
He reveals this when Sithambaram asks about the thousands of ringgit Najib spent on a hotel stay in Bangkok, Thailand.
Najib answers that the spending was necessary as he was meeting his then Thai counterpart to discuss relief efforts for the flooding in Kelantan.
Sithambaram: Was Arab donation used for Kelantan (as flood relief in 2014)?
Najib: I do not remember.
Sithambaram: But this is CSR (corporate social responsibility, which is one of the purported reasons for the Arab donation to Najib).
Najib: I cannot recall.
2.49pm: Sithambaram is asking him about the numerous personal spending of thousands of ringgit in his credit card statement.
In his previous testimony to the court, Najib said that the only significant personal spending charged to his credit card was the purchase of a RM466,330.11 Chanel watch for Rosmah.
Sithambaram: I put it to you that your statement that the Chanel watch was your only personal spending is not correct.
Najib: I have to qualify, that (Chanel watch) was substantial. The other (thousands of ringgit of spendings) are not significant.
Sithambaram: Still, there were other (thousands of ringgit) expenditure.
Najib: Yes, but they were not significant.
Sithambaram: Not significant based on the Arab donation?
Najib: Yes.
Najib previously claimed that he received RM2.6 billion in donations from the late Saudi Ruler King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
3.05pm: The prosecution is asking Najib about a series of Blackberry Messenger chats between Jho Low and former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu.
Sithambaram walks Najib through the chat transcript, where Low and Yu discussed debiting funds into Najib’s AmBank accounts in 2014 to ensure sufficient balance to issue cheques.
He then refers Najib to bank statements that correspond to what was discussed by Low with Yu, before asking: “This is clear that Jho Low was making sure that you have enough money to write cheques. Correct sir?”
Najib: It would appear so.
3.43pm: The court hears from Najib that he had in “a few occasions” liaised with Low over the operations of the former premier’s AmBank accounts.
Najib firstly agrees that a series of BBM chats between Low and Yu in Aug 2014 depicted jewellery purchases amounting to RM3.282 million made on Najib’s credit cards in Italy.
Sithambaram: The purchase of jewellery… Do you agree that the transaction and this (chats) depict what happened (on the purchase in Italy)?
Najib: Yes.
Sithambaram: It is clear that Jho Low was making sure all transactions were honoured, correct sir?
Najib: Yes.
Sithambaram: And from these transactions and conversations, Jho Low verified the accounts to the bank for purpose of ensuring sufficient funds for you to use your credit cards and issue cheques, correct sir?
Najib: Yes.
Sithambaram: And I’m putting to you sir, these BBM chats would show that Jho Low was on some occasions in contact with you, to ensure the cards and cheques were honoured.
Najib: It was basically (with) Azlin (Najib’s late chief private secretary Azlin Alias).
Sithambaram: But on some occasions with Jho Low?
Najib: A few occasions.
Sithambaram: (On a) few occasions he liaised with you?
Najib: Yes.
3.45pm: Proceedings adjourn for a short break.
4.10pm: Proceedings resume.
4.30pm: Najib claims that then Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah did not have a proper plan when the latter expressed intention to go to Switzerland to bring back SRC International’s money in 2016.
This was why he didn’t approve Husni’s request at the time, Najib says in court.
The lawyer then asks Najib if he agrees that a finance minister’s visit might be more effective to get the Swiss government to release the money, compared to SRC doing it as a company.
“Unless there is a proper plan. Datuk Husni didn’t have a proper plan,” Najib says.
Sithambaram then suggests to Najib that he actually did not want Husni to go to Switzerland.
Najib disagrees to the suggestion.
In August last year, Husni testified as a prosecution witness.in the trial.
During his testimony, he said that he wanted to go to Switzerland to try and obtain the SRC funds frozen by Swiss authorities, but Najib did not give his permission.
Husni said he had learnt that SRC funds amounting to some RM3 billion was frozen on suspicion of money laundering.
“I then met with Najib and asked for permission to lead a delegation from the Finance Ministry, Bank Negara and Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) to present documents as evidence that the money was a loan from KWAP (to SRC International) and should not have been frozen for money laundering.
“However, the prime minister did not agree with my actions,” he had said, while reading from his witness statement.
4.47pm: Judge Nazlan agrees to adjourn proceedings for the day and to continue the trial at 9am, Jan 20.
Najib also has to attend his 1MDB final audit report tampering trial before a separate Kuala Lumpur High Court from Monday to Thursday next week.
Earlier reports:
Jan 8, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 68
Jan 7, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 67
Jan 6, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 66
Jan 6, Prosecution’s Application to Impeach Najib Dismissed, Judge Ruled No Contradictions Given
Dec 20, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 65
Dec 18, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 64
Dec 18, Najib’s Defence Like Infamous VK Lingam’s Looks Like Me, Sounds Like Me, but Not Me
Dec 12, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 63
Dec 10, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 62
Dec 10, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 61
Dec 9, RM500K Birthday Watch for Rosmah, RM3.3M Jewellery Gift for Ex-Qatar PM’s Wife
Dec 5, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 60
Dec 3, Najb’s SRC Trial: Day 59
Dec 3, Najib’s Day in Court
Aug 27, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 58
Aug 23, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 57
Aug 22, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 56
Aug 20, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 55
Aug 19, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 54
Aug 14, SRC Trial Postponed as Najib Down with Sore Eyes
Aug 13, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 52
Aug 9, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 51
Aug 7, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 50
Aug 6, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 49
Aug 5, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 48
Aug 1, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 47
July 31, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 46
July 29, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 45
July 25, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 44
July 24, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 43 Vacated
July 23, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 42
July 22, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 41
July 18, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 40
July 17, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 39
July 16, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 38
July 15, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 37
July 11, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 36
July 10, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 35
July 9, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 34
July 8, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 33
July 3, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 32
July 3, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 31
July 1, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 30
June 20, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 29
June 19, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 28
June 18, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 27
June 17, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 26
June 14, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 25
June 13, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 24
June 12, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 23
June 11, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 22
June 10, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 21
May 28, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 20
May 27, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 19
May 15, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 18
May 14, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 17
May 9, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 16
May 8, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 15
May 7, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 14
May 7, Najib Fails in Second Bid to Remove Sri Ram as 1MDB Lead Prosecutor
May 7, Najib Signed Guarantee Letter for RM2B KWAP Loan to SRC, KWAP Rules Breached
May 6, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 13
May 2, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 12
May 2, RM1M Golden Handshake in Final Month as PM for Najib
Apr 30, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 11
Apr 29, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 10
Apr 29, Court Throws Out Najib’s Application to Strike Out 7 SRC Charges, Trial to Go On
Apr 25, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Nine
Apr 24, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Eight
Apr 24, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Seven
Apr 22, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Six
Apr 18, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Five
Apr 17, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Four
Apr 16, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Three
Apr 15, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day Two
Apr 3, Najib Trial: Day One