Ambank Raja Chulan Branch Manager R. Uma Devi is seen leaving the court compound after testifying on the 1MDB case here at Kuala Lumpur High Court, September 8, 2022. — Picture by Sayuti Zainudin
Follow us on Instagram, subscribe to our Telegram channel and browser alerts for the latest news you need to know.
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak never complained about any of the transactions in his personal AmIslamic bank account where millions of ringgit had been banked in and had been used, the High Court heard today.
R. Uma Devi, the 37th prosecution witness in Najib’s trial over the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad, confirmed that over RM15.2 million of funds were transferred out of Najib’s AmIslamic account with the account number ending 9694, via 71 cheques issued during the March 2011 to December 2011 period.
The RM15.2 million went to various recipients, including to Umno, Yayasan Rahah, Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, car companies (Signature Exotic Cars Sdn Bhd, Zas Car Network Sdn Bhd, Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd), and former deputy transport minister Datuk Ab Aziz Kaprawi.
Uma Devi who is AmIslamic bank’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager also confirmed that over RM75.7 million had entered this same AmIslamic account belonging to Najib via three transactions in February, June and October 2011.
Asked by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, Uma Devi confirmed that AmBank would send bank account statements to its customers every month, and that Najib had never complained about the account.
Sri Ram: In the case of your account, did he ever — from your records — did he ever complain about his statement of account to the bank?
Uma Devi: As far as my knowledge, even in SRC case, I did confirm there was no dispute or complaint about his account.
Sri Ram: What about this case? Same answer?
Uma Devi: Yes.
Uma Devi confirmed that she had previously testified as a witness during Najib’s separate trial over the misappropriation of RM42 million of government-owned company SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds. That is the case which resulted in Najib being imprisoned.
Uma Devi confirmed to Sri Ram that her evidence or testimony in the SRC case was accepted by all levels of the courts, from the High Court where the trial took place and also at the appellate levels where Najib lost his appeals.
Having joined AmBank in 2012 and having been transferred to its Jalan Raja Chulan branch where she has been working as a branch manager since 2015, Uma Devi confirmed that Najib did not file any lawsuits against the bank from 2015 until 2018 for alleged mishandling of his account.
Based on bank documents which Uma Devi verified today, Najib’s AmIslamic account ending 9694 had earned over RM1.25 million in interest during the March to December 2011 period, with the monthly interest garnered based on the monthly balance in the current account.
Najib had opened this bank account on January 13, 2011 at AmIslamic’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch, and closed it down on August 30, 2013.
The trial before High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to resume tomorrow.
MORE TO COME