Najib Spent Funds For Political Not Personal Purposes Court Hears

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Najib Razak is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between 2011 and 2014. (Bernama pic)KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today was told that most of the funds former prime minister Najib Razak received in 2013 were used for political and not personal purposes.
Bukit Aman’s commercial crime investigation department (CCID) investigating officer Foo Wei Min told the court during Najib’s 1MDB trial that he was tasked to probe Najib’s receipt and use of funds in his account 10 years ago.
Foo had told the court previously that he had probed the money trail from a US$3 billion bond, raised by 1MDB to develop the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).
He said he found that part of the funds had entered Najib’s personal accounts.
Today, Foo said those who had received funds from Najib were either individuals or entities with a political background.
The court heard that between Aug 2 and 14, 2013, Najib had issued five cheques to Umno totalling RM20 million, while Umno Batu Kawan received RM100,000.
Other recipients of funds identified by the witness were Lim Soon Peng (RM246,000), Orb Solutions Sdn Bhd (RM2 million) and Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd (RM303,000).
When questioned by lawyer Shafee Abdullah as to whether Bukit Aman traced any transactions related to Najib’s personal expenditure, Foo said no.
“There was no spending from him to buy a yacht?” the lawyer said in jest.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited in his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah tomorrow. - FMT

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