7 minutes
KUALA LUMPUR: The federal police said it has evidence to prove funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) were used to purchase a pink diamond even though the jewel itself has not been found.
Bukit Aman anti-money laundering investigation team head SAC Datuk Khalil Azlan Chik said this following former prime minister’s wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor’s claim that critics had slandered her as the buyer of the diamond valued at US$23 million (RM94.6 million).
“Even though the diamond was not found during the raids conducted (by the police), we have found enough evidence to show that the diamond was purchased.
“There is money trail evidence of the purchase of the US$23 million ‘pink diamond’ from a jeweller in New York using money from 1MDB,“ he said in a statement today.
Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that the diamond was not purchased in Malaysia despite being brought into the country.
He said the jewellery agents had declared the diamond among 40 over pieces of precious stones meant for the wife of a prominent person.
However, the agent also declared the same jewellery to have exited the country, indicating no sale was made.
Najib has consistently denied this, and claims the pink diamond pendant was a gift from Prince Sheikh Mansour, brother of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Zayed.
