The alleged Arab prince, through his attorney, confirms that the four letters on donation to Najib, but was not even in the room when MACC recorded the statement.
2.42pm: Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the dock as proceedings before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali begins.
Also seen in court are the accused’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and other members of the defence team, as well as DPP V Sithambaram and other DPPs.
3.13pm: The MACC team that went to Saudi Arabia in November 2015 was brought by the Middle Eastern authorities to perform the Umrah at Mecca, the High Court hears.
Defence witness, MACC officer Fikri testifies this during examination-in-chief by Shafee.
Fikri was part of the MACC team that went to Saudi Arabia that year as part of an investigation into the RM2.6 billion donation issue involving Najib.
Among those in the MACC team were current MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki and then DPP Dzulkifli Ahmad.
Fikri said that on reaching Saudi Arabia on Nov 28, 2015, they found out that the team needed to perform the Umrah first before they could record a statement from Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud.
Fikri said that the team was informed that they could only see the Arab prince after they performed the Umrah as they are guests of the Saudis.
“We went to Jeddah, there was a police team that brought us as guests to Mecca,” says Fikri.
“We were brought by police escort on a flight to Mecca. I think the jet is owned by the (Saudi) government, there is a crown (sign) of the Saudi Arabian government.
“We went to Jeddah first, then the police team brought us to a guest room of the government at Mecca,” Fikri says.
3.29pm: Fikri testifies that he was shown a passport by the purported Arab prince that “confirmed” four letters in regards to the Arab donation to Najib.
Fikri testifies that while at the purported King Abdullah’s palace in Riyadh on Nov 29, 2015, he was shown the passport of Prince Saud Abdul Aziz.
Fikri says that while at the purported palace, he met a group of people, with one of them allegedly being Prince Saud Abdul Aziz. Fikri was then informed that they would only be showing their passport.
When Shafee asks who told Fikri that they would only show their passport without allowing it to be photocopied, Fikri says that it was Prince Turki who said it.
Fikri: Then I saw the passport of al Saud.
Shafee: That was (passport of) Prince Saud Abdul Aziz al Saud?
Fikri: Yes.
3.45pm: An Arab prince did not personally sign a MACC statement “confirming” the four letters on the Arab donation to Najib, due to immunity issue, the High Court hears.
Fikri testifies this during examination-in-chief by Shafee.
Previously, MACC officer Mohd Nasharudin Amir, who was part of the team, had testified that the statement was not signed by Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Malik Abdul Aziz al-Saud, it was instead signed by the prince’s attorney, Abdullah al-Koman.
The MACC statement purportedly confirms the authenticity of four letters on the Arab donation to Najib.
Fikri: The statement that I read was in relation to Prince Saud but signed by (Abdullah al-Koman).
Shafee: Why is it that Saud did not sign it?
Fikri: Due to their immunity, we could not just merely approach and try to take the (Arab princes’) statement.
3.46pm: Sithambaram asks for a break of proceedings so the prosecution can prepare cross-examination of Fikri.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then allows half an hour break.
4.31pm: Proceedings resume.
4.44pm: Fikri agrees that it is strange that there were no follow-up questions to an alleged Arab prince as well as Jho Low’s associate, Tan Kim Loong, when their statements were recorded in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov 29, 2015.
The defence witness says this during cross-examination by Sithambaram.
The court also previously heard from MACC officer Mohd Nasharudin Amir, who was part of the MACC team that went to Riyadh in November 2015 as part of an investigation into the RM2.6 billion donation issue, had testified that Tan’s statement seemed to be “cut and paste”.
Nasharudin had also previously testified that the statement signed by Abdullah seemed to be pre-prepared.
Sithambaram: According to Nasharudin, Tan Kim Loong’s statement seemed to be prepared ahead of time, cut and paste into the MACC statement?
Fikri: I am not sure.
Sithambaram: The (MACC) statement by (Abdullah) al-Koman seemed to be pre-prepared ahead of time?
Fikri: I do not know.
Sithambaram: You agree that as an experienced (MACC) officer, after statements are taken, there should have been follow-up questions on the answers given by the witnesses?
Fikri: Yes.
Sithambaram: It is strange that there are no such follow-up questions here?
Fikri: There is none (in agreement).
4.50pm: The alleged Arab prince, through his attorney, confirms that the four letters on donation to Najib, was not even in the room when MACC recorded the statement, the High Court hears.
The court also hears from Fikri that he is not sure if the said prince was even in the royal palace in Riyadh, where the MACC statement was recorded on Nov 29, 2015.
5.15pm: Proceedings adjourn for the day and will resume at 2.30pm tomorrow.
Earlier reports:
Mar 3, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 85
Mar 2, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 84
Feb 27, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 83
Feb 26, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 82
Feb 24, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 81
Feb 17, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 80
Feb 13, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 79
Feb 13, Anifah Says Improper for Najib to Buy Channel Watch with Saudi Donation
Feb 11, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 78
Feb 10, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 77
Feb 10, Former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia: Najib, Not King Abdullah Told Me About Donation
Feb 5, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 76
Feb 4, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 75
Feb 3, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 74
Jan 23, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 73
Jan 23, Stumbling for Answers at SRC Trial, Najib Is Schooled on Court Proceedings
Jan 22, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 72
Jan 22, Court Allows Najib to Call Expert to Verify Signatures
Jan 21, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 71
Jan 20, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 70
Jan 9, Najib’s SRC Trial: Day 69
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