KUALA LUMPUR: Lead prosecutor in the Datuk Seri Najib Razak's corruption trial told the High Court today it would establish that he had remitted and received money for unlawful activities.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, in his opening statement, said the prosecution would prove that the accused was engaged in money laundering by receiving RM27 million on or around Dec 26, 2014, in his account and later remitted the money to Permai Binraya Sdn Bhd for an unlawful activity.
He said the prosecution team would also prove that the accused had on or about Dec 26, 2014, engaged in money laundering by receiving RM5 million, as proceeds of an unlawful activity, and remitted the amount to a company account under Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd on or about Dec 29, 2014.
Thomas said the prosecution would also prove that Najib had engaged in laundering RM10 million on Feb 10, 2015.
"Evidence will also establish that in December 2014, the accused’s credit card was charged US$130,625 (about RM533,028) for expenses made at Chanel, an exclusive fashion store in Honolulu, and that the personal cheques were issued for, among others, payment for renovation works carried out at the accused’s residence at No. 11 Jalan Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, and in Pekan, Pahang," he said, adding that cheques were issued to various Barisan Nasional component parties.
Najib was last year charged with three counts of money laundering amounted to RM42 million.
The charges were framed under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
The offence carries a maximum 15 years' jail and a fine five times the amount or RM5 million, which ever is higher.
