A WITNESS in the Najib Razak trial today was accused of not telling the whole truth on a raid at an AmBank branch nearly three years ago.

Bank Negara investigation officer Azizul Adzani Abdul Ghafar looked uncomfortable under cross-examination when defence lawyer Harvinderjit Singh grilled him over a raid on the bank to seize documents related to the then prime minister’s account.

Documents related to Najib and SRC International and its subsidiary, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd were confiscated in the raid on July 6, 2015.

Azizul testified he had waited at the bank from morning till 9.15pm to receive evidentiary documents from bank manager R. Uma Devi, on the day of the raid.

The documents detailed transactions of sums between RM5 million and RM40 million which took place between December 2014 and February 2015.

Azizul said he did not know the details of a second raid which took place in the same building conducted by the central bank’s Financial Intelligence and Enforcement Department. 

Azizul said the first raiding team, of which he was a part, had four officers while the second raiding team had at least 10 officers. He said he believed the second raiding team was led by investigation officer Ahmad Farhan Sharifuddin. 

Harvinderjit grilled Azizul on whether he had asked for account and transaction specifics during the raid, to which the witness said he could not recall. 

Harvinderjit then asked Azizul how he had gone about getting the documents on specific transactions from Uma Devi, to which Azizul said he was not sure.

“Please come out of your cave, you are clearly not telling us the whole story,” Harvinderjit told the witness.

Harvinderjit also asked whether the witness had been in contact with Joanna Yu, an AmBank manager who reportedly handled the accounts of 1Malaysia Development Bhd and SRC International.

Azizul denied meeting her and said he was only informed of the raid earlier during the day, adding it was normal practice to wait for the second team to complete its raid. 

He said he had not expected the team to complete its work by night-time as it was the  fasting month. 

Azizul said he had only been given the account number and was not told the name of the account holder. He also did not meet any of the senior 1MDB-linked officers, adding his role was just to seize the documents.

Azizul maintained his role in the investigation was limited to the raid, carried out under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act, adding that he did not know whether it was under a special task force.

Azizul later confirmed he received 11 documents from Uma that night. They were:

* Account opening form for account number 211-002-009048-1;
* Single credit confirmation advice dated December 24, 2014 for RM40 million;
* Single credit confirmation advice dated February 5, 2015 for RM5 million;
* Single credit confirmation advice dated December 26, 2014 for RM27 million;
* Single credit confirmation advice dated December 26, 2014 for RM5 million;
* Withdrawal transfer slip dated January 9, 2015 for RM39.7 million;
* Instruction letter dated January 9, 2015 for RM39.7 million;
* Withdrawal transfer slip dated February 13, 2015 for RM10 million;
* Instruction letter dated January 13, 2015 for RM10 million; 
* Deposit slip dated December 24, 2014 for RM40 million.

Najib, dressed in a grey suit, did not speak to the press during lunch break.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas is leading the prosecution, while Najib is represented by his lead counsel Shafee Abdullah. – April 16, 2019.