FORMER Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Lathefa Koya defended her move to publicise nine phone recordings of high-profile individuals, including Najib Razak, saying it was done in the public’s interest.

Latheefa, who resigned as MACC chief last week, told the SRC International trial that she wanted to set an example against future cover-ups of criminal activities by the attorney-general or persons from the Prime Minister’s Office or the MACC.

“It was my duty to show (them), so the public knows that never again can the A-G, or the PMO or the MACC be involved in offences such as revealing secret information, tampering or fabricating evidence to avoid being prosecuted,” she said when examined by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah last week.

The audio recordings, which were publicly released at a press conference on January 8, included Najib, his wife Rosmah Mansor, former MACC chief Dzulkifly Ahmad who was then a prosecutor with the Attorney-General’s Chambers, Umno lawmaker Azeez Abdul Rahim, as well as United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Zayed Al Nahyan, allegedly conspiring to manipulate information regarding 1Malaysia Development Bhd and SRC International.

Latheefa said she learnt of the recordings on March 3 after nine thumb drives were mailed in an envelope to the home of MACC special officer Ahmad Nizam, who is the aide to MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Azam Baki.

Latheefa, who was subpoenaed to testify as a defence witness, said she is not in a position to determine the authenticity of the recordings.

When questioned by Shafee, Latheefa agreed that the recordings may not be admissible as evidence in court as they failed to meet the requirements of history, provenance and originality.

To be admitted as evidence, lawyers must show how the recordings were made, the chronology of their ownership and that they were not tampered with.

She, however, said the content of the recordings could be used to initiate investigations that could lead to other evidence of wrongdoing. She added that the issue of authenticity will be determined by the police as she has handed the recordings to them.

MACC did not question Prince Saud

MACC investigating officer Fikri Ab Rahim testified that a five-man MACC team of investigators that traveled to Riyadh on November 29, 2015, had met a Saudi prince who purportedly signed four letters acknowledging donations from the Saudi royal family to Najib. The team however, did not get to question the man.

The team intended to question one Prince Saud Abdulaziz Majid Al Saud, whose identity the team verified on his passport. However the team only managed to question the prince’s appointed representative, a lawyer named Mohammad Abdullah Al Koman, who gave a statement on the royal’s behalf. 

Meanwhile, MACC assistant commissioner Mohd Nasharudin Amir also submitted a document that suggested that a previous defence witness was not present at a crucial meeting on January 11, 2010 between Najib and the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.

Former Islamic affairs minister Jamil Khir Baharom had previously testified that he was present at a meeting where Najib was offered financial assistance by the Saudi ruler to ensure Malaysia remains a model Islamic country and to curb the spread of discord following the Arab spring protests.

The prosecution however, tendered a Islamic Development Department (Jakim) bulletin obtained via Nasharuddin, which allegedly reported that Jamil Khir was in Putrajaya on January 11, 2010.

Najib faces seven criminal charges for receiving RM42 million in SRC International funds between December 2014 and February 2015. He maintains that he was under the impression that the sum came from Saudi royals.

Prosecutors have said the funds are linked to 1MDB, and that Najib conspired with others to defraud the entity, including its former subsidiary, SRC International.

The trial resumes tomorrow. – March 8, 2020.