WITNESSES IN SINGAPORE AGREE TO GIVE STATEMENTS IN TAWFIQ AYMAN CASE - BUKIT AMAN

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) -- Several witnesses including bank officers in Singapore agreed to have their statements recorded to facilitate investigation into the case involving Datuk Dr Tawfiq Ayman, the husband of former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor, who was linked to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din said a team of investigating officers would visit the country from March 29 to 30 to record statements and gather documents.

"Once the statements and documents are obtained, we will be able to refer the investigation paper to the Attorney-General's Chambers," he told a press conference here today.

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Mohd Kamarudin said several witnesses had been called to give their statements so far and other witnesses would be called depending on the situation.

Previously, he said Singapore's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) had agreed for the investigation team to visit the country to share information or documents on an intelligence basis.

Mohd Kamarudin said the authorities in Singapore had given consent for the PDRM investigation team to head to Singapore in December 2021 and February this year, but the trips could not be made due to several factors.

Earlier, the media reported that Tawfiq via legal firm, Tetuan Jagjit, Ariff & Co had issued a statement to clarify he had not received any form of bribes from anybody.

The statement was made when former Goldman Sachs banker, Tim Leissner was testifying in the trial against his former officer Roger Ng at the High Court in Brooklyn, New York recently.

Leissner was reported to have mentioned the involvement of Tawfiq in the corruption of the joined project between PetroSaudi and 1MDB during the current trial.

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had earlier reported that at least RM65 million linked to 1MDB funds was withdrawn from Singapore and was kept in a company owned by Tawfiq.

-- BERNAMA