Former Malaysian PM Terms Money Laundering As Donations From Saudi Royal Family
The former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has added a twist to his corruption trial as he claimed that multiple transactions amounting to billions of Malaysian currency were actually donations from the Saudi royal family.
Razak appeared in High Court to testify as to the first defense witness in his RM42 million SRC International corruption trial.
Money to the tune of RM3.2 billion has been reported to have appeared in his account between 2011 and 2013. He added that the money originated from senders identified as Prince Faisal Turki, Blackstone Real Estate Partner, and Tanore Finance Corp, were part of donations from Saudi monarch King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
In his defense, he said supporting documents of the donations were shown to him by his former special officer Datuk Azlin Alias, who later said that the documents had actually originated from fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, connecting back the former PM to Jho Low.
A total of 23 transactions were made into AmBank's current account and particular amounts transferred were read out in court. US99.9 million dollars or RM 304 million transferred in 2011; US269.9 million dollars or RM831.9 million in 2012, and US680.9 million or RM2.08 billion in 2013.
Najib justified the money has funds for election campaign in anticipation of a general election. He further elaborated that he accepted sum in a capacity as the Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman where he was mandated to collect donations for the same.
There are seven charges against him. Of them, Najib is accused of committing three counts of criminal breach of trust over a total RM42 million of SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the prime minister and finance minister then, and a separate charge of abusing the same positions for self-gratification of the same sum.
He further added that he was uncomfortable about holding so much money in his account and the amount received between 2011 and 2012 was spent by him on Corporate Social Responsibility schemes.
Razak appeared in High Court to testify as to the first defense witness in his RM42 million SRC International corruption trial.
Money to the tune of RM3.2 billion has been reported to have appeared in his account between 2011 and 2013. He added that the money originated from senders identified as Prince Faisal Turki, Blackstone Real Estate Partner, and Tanore Finance Corp, were part of donations from Saudi monarch King Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Saud.
In his defense, he said supporting documents of the donations were shown to him by his former special officer Datuk Azlin Alias, who later said that the documents had actually originated from fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, connecting back the former PM to Jho Low.
A total of 23 transactions were made into AmBank's current account and particular amounts transferred were read out in court. US99.9 million dollars or RM 304 million transferred in 2011; US269.9 million dollars or RM831.9 million in 2012, and US680.9 million or RM2.08 billion in 2013.
Najib justified the money has funds for election campaign in anticipation of a general election. He further elaborated that he accepted sum in a capacity as the Umno president and Barisan Nasional chairman where he was mandated to collect donations for the same.
There are seven charges against him. Of them, Najib is accused of committing three counts of criminal breach of trust over a total RM42 million of SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the prime minister and finance minister then, and a separate charge of abusing the same positions for self-gratification of the same sum.
He further added that he was uncomfortable about holding so much money in his account and the amount received between 2011 and 2012 was spent by him on Corporate Social Responsibility schemes.
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