Purchases amounting to RM3.3 million made on Najib Razak’s credit cards on August 8, 2014, at jeweller De Grisogono in Italy were for the wife of a former Qatari prime minister, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) lead investigator Rosli Husain, the prosecution’s final witness in Najib’s SRC International trial, said the former prime minister had admitted so when he was questioned in 2015.
Defence counsel Farhan Read asked Rosli if he had heard of the Swiss luxury jeweller, and whether he had travelled to Italy, to which the witness said no.
“Many wanted to go,” Rosli said in jest.
He was then shown a letter of appreciation from Noor Abdulaziz Abdulla Turki Al-Subaie, the wife of Shaikh Hamad Jassim Jabr Al Thani, who was then Qatar’s prime minister.
The letter, dated August 15, 2014, was addressed to Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.
Rosli told the court this was the first time he had seen the letter and that it was not mentioned when the MACC questioned Rosmah.
“Can you show the letter to me? Let me have a look at it. I’ve never seen it,” Rosli said to the defence.
Ad hoc prosecutor V Sithambaram said the letter could not be included as evidence, and challenged its veracity.
“I hope you’re calling her (to the stand) to prove this,” Sithambaram said, referring to Abdulaziz.
Najib’s charges in the SRC International trial are linked to RM4 billion in loans issued to the entity in 2011 and 2012, for which he is accused of receiving RM42 million in his accounts in 2014 and 2015.
The 66-year-old has been slapped with three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of power. He faces up to 20 years’ jail if convicted. – TMI