KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today was told that the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has granted the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) permission to lend an additional US$330 million (RM1.38 billion) loan to PetroSaudi BVI in May 2011.
The matter was revealed by 1MDB former chief executive officer (CEO) Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, during the examination-in-chief by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram on the 14th day of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s (pix) 1MDB trial.
Earlier, the ninth prosecution witness confirmed a letter titled ‘BNM’s authorisation on foreign currency lending to non-residents’ dated May 20, 2011.
“BNM was referring to the application made by 1MDB chief financial officer (CFO) Radhi Mohamad, dated May 18, 2011, as well as the 1MDB meeting with BNM on the following day, May 19, 2011, which granted the permission to the 1MDB to lend an additional US$330 million (RM1.38 billion) loan to PetroSaudi BVI,” he said.
He was also referring to a letter from AmBank Berhad to 1MDB titled “Confirmation of a foreign exchange transaction” dated May 20, 2011.
“This letter is a notification to the AmIslamic Bank Berhad pertaining to the transfer of US$30,000,000 (RM125.8 million) to an account bearing the number 11116073.2000, where the beneficiary of the account is under the name of PetroSaudi International Limited (PSI),” he said.
He said the authorisation to transfer the money to account number 11116073.2000 came from PSI CEO Tarek Obaid based on Tarek’s letter dated May 12, 2011, which stated the account number.
Referring to a letter of remittance instruction from 1MDB to AmIslamic regarding ‘FX confirmation’ dated May 23, 2011, the witness said, the letter was a notice issued to the bank regarding the instruction for money transfer to PetroSaudi International Limited’s account amounting to US$65,000,000 (RM272.6 million).
Shahrol Azral was also referring to the Deutsche Bank’s “Letter of Instruction (FX Deal)” from 1MDB on remittance of US$110 million (RM461.32 million), dated May 27, 2011.
He said the letter was a notification to AmIslamic Bank Berhad regarding the instruction for money transfer to the account bearing the number of 11116073.2000 amounting to US$110,000,000 (RM461.32 million).
“I received the instruction from Tarek Obaid to transfer the money to account bearing the number of 11116073.2000 based on his letter dated May 12, 2011 which stated the account number.
“The instructions to use the beneficiary’s account bearing the number of 11116073.2000 are based on a letter from Tarek Obaid dated May 25, 2011,” he said.
Najib, 66, face four charges of using his position to obtain a bribe of RM2.3 billion in the 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount of money.
The Pekan MP was charged with committing the four corruption offences at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon here between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014 while all the money laundering charges were between Mar 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013 at the same place.
The trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues. — Bernama
