Jepak holdings managing director withdrew RM6.5 mil in cash from bank - Witness

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 5 -- A bank officer told the High Court here today that Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin withdrew RM6.5 million in cash through two cheques, in 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Azimah Aziz, 38, who is the prosecution's third witness and was the chief cashier at the Maybank Medan Tuanku branch at the time, said Saidi had withdrawn RM5 million on Dec 20, 2016, and RM1.5 million on Sept 7, 2017, and also requested for all the cash to be provided in RM100 bills.

Recalling the incident, Azimah said she had received information from one of the bank's personal financial advisers a day before the transaction, that Saidi intended to withdraw RM5 million in cash.

“The Maybank branch's maximum cash reserve is RM1,200,000, so in order to meet the demand for the withdrawal, I submitted a request for RM5,000,000 in cash, to the cash flow management division at headquarters through the E-Cash system on Dec 19, 2016.

She said on Dec 20, 2016, the Armour Security company delivered the cash to the bank and it was kept in the bank's vault at 11.40 am, as they had no idea when Saidi was coming to collect it.

"The money was handed over to Saidi at 2 pm, Dec 20, 2016, by the cashier on duty, and it was witnessed by assistant bank manager Harryade Arbe," she said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Najwa Bistamam on the first day of Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor's corruption trial pertaining to solar energy projects in rural Sarawak. Rosmah is the wife of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

Azimah, who currently works in the another division of the same bank, said Saidi placed the money in a bag he had brought with him, before leaving the bank.

In reference to the second withdrawal made on Sept 6, 2017 for RM1.5 million, the witness said she had asked Saidi about the purpose of the transaction.

“Saidi said the money was for business purposes. Since he did not appear to be willing to share any other details on the matter, I did not question him further," said Azimah.

She added that the bank had a practice of inquiring into the purpose of withdrawals of large sums of money to ensure customers were not involved in fraud.

Azimah said after counting the money, Saidi put it into two black backpacks he had brought with him, in the company of a dark-skinned man.

Today's proceedings also saw the prosecution presenting images of the two original cheques in Saidi's name, as evidence of the withdrawals.

During a short recess in the afternoon, Najib was seen hugging his wife before leaving the premises.

The Member of Parliament for Pekan was also in court for his trial on criminal breach of trust, corruption and money laundering involving RM42 million in funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd.

Rosmah, 68, claimed trial to a charge of soliciting RM187.5 million and two counts of receiving a bribe of RM6.5 million from Saidi, through her former aide, Datuk Rizal Mansor in exchange for helping Jepak Holdings obtain a RM1.25 billion project to provide solar energy, among other services, to 369 rural schools in Sarawak.

She allegedly committed the offences at three places, namely Lygon Cafe at Sunway Putra Mall in Jalan Putra here; her house at Jalan Langgak Duta, Taman Duta here and at the Seri Perdana Residence, Persiaran Seri Perdana, Precinct 10, Putrajaya between Jan 2016 and Sept 7, 2017.

The trial before Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan continues tomorrow.

  -- BERNAMA