PROSECUTORS have charged that Najib Razak lavishly spent public money, pointing to some RM10.8 million that made its way out of his personal AmPrivate bank account via more than a dozen cheques to pay for home renovations and fund the Barisan Nasional coalition. 

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas also told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that prosecutors will prove that Najib used his credit card to spend US$130,625 (RM533,276) at a Chanel boutique in Honolulu, Hawaii in December 2014. 

In his opening speech, Thomas said personal cheques were issued for, among others, payment for renovation works carried out at Najib’s residence at No. 11 Jalan Langgak Duta in Kuala Lumpur and another home in Pekan, Pahang.

Thomas added that other cheques were issued to various Barisan Nasional component political parties. 

Prosecutors said Najib spent RM10.78 million via 15 personal cheques from his banking account after several tranches of money amounting to RM42 million were transferred.

Thomas said the RM42 million was evidence of gratification, particularly after the SRC International Sdn Bhd board passed a special resolution appointing Najib as an adviser emeritus.

Today, Thomas was flanked by ad-hoc prosecutors V. Sithambaram and Sulaiman Abdullah, as well as nine other deputy public prosecutors.

Najib, dressed in a blue pin-striped suit, was expressionless throughout today’s hearing and did not speak to the media later.

He is represented by 12 lawyers, led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Serving as watching brief were AG Kalidas and Rajsurian Pillai for the Malaysian Bar, and Revin Kumar for Najib’s wife Rosmah Mansor.

For the SRC International trial, he faces one charge under Section 23 of the MACC Act 2009 for abuse of position; three charges under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust; and three charges under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 for money laundering.

For the abuse of power charge, Thomas told the court that prosecution intends to prove that Najib proposed establishment of SRC International, and the unit’s request for a government loan for RM3.95 billion as well as matters that led to the approval of by the Finance Ministry for the issuance of a total of RM4 billion government guarantee.

Najib was also the finance minister during his tenure as prime minister.

Meanwhile, Companies Commission of Malaysia assistant registrar Muhamad Akmaluddin Abdullah, 35, took the stand today.

The trial’s first witness detailed the establishment of SRC International in 2011, with a paid-up capital of RM100 million.

He identified Suboh Md Yassin as SRC International former director and Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as its former CEO and managing director.

Suboh, under a witness protection programme, will testify in the trial while Nik Faisal remains at large, possibly in Indonesia, according to reports.

Muhamad Akmaluddin, who worked at the commission since 2007, also detailed the establishment of SRC International subsidiaries Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd and Ikhsan Perdana Sdn Bhd.

Prosecution then filed 47 documents, referred from the witness statement as exhibits.

Earlier, defence lawyers Harvinderjit Singh and former solicitor-general Yusof Zainal Abidin had attempted to stay today’s proceedings, saying they had filed a review application on Najib’s amended charges.

Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali did not allow the stay and after the hearing, fixed April 15 as the next date for trial. – April 3, 2019