KUALA LUMPUR: A lawyer told the High Court here today that a corporate figure, Datuk Habibul Rahman Kadir Shah, had received a cheque for RM2.5 million in 2015.
Ashraf Abdul Razak, 48, of Messrs Zulkarnain & Co said he was told by the corporate figure that the cheque dated February 2, 2015 was a payment for a defence supply contract.
Ashraf is Habibul Rahman’s lawyer since 1996.
The 18th prosecution witness said that after the cheque was deposited, Habibul Rahman had instructed him to issue cheques to his wife, children and several other individuals.
“He (Habibul Rahman) met me and informed that he would receive payment for the negotiation services for a defence supply contract.
“There was a small acknowledgement letter between himself and myself on the payment through the cheque, which was signed by him,“ the witness said.
Ashraf said this during the examination-in-chief by the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, on the eighth day trial of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s case for alleged misappropriation of SRC International Sdn Bhd fund.
Ashraf said Habibul Rahman, who is the managing director of Fuelsubs House Sdn Bhd (FSH), was seeking the tender to manage a fuel subsidy contract.
Asked whether Habibul Rahman had told him who gave the payment, the witness said, “no”.
Ashraf said after receiving the cheque from Habibul Rahman at his home, he had deposited it into a CIMB Bank current account belonging to the law firm.
Asked whether he knew why Habibul Rahman chose to hand over the cheque to him instead of depositing it into an account himself, the witness said he did not know.
Asked whether he managed the whole RM2.5 million, Ashraf said, “yes, all payments amounting to RM2.5 million have been made including legal fees amounting to RM50,000.”
Ashraf also repeatedly stated that he did not know where the money for the cheque came from and never asked Habibul Rahman about it because he was a respected corporate figure.
“I’ve known him for a long time, and in my opinion, with his status as a corporate figure and a board member of several companies, it never crossed my mind to ask,” he said.
When cross-examined by Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, if he forgot what Habibul Rahman told him regarding the cheque, the witness said, “no, I’m sure he told me that it was from a defence contract.”
The 19th witness, CIMB Bank Cheque Clearing Operations Department deputy general manager Edward Innasi Born, 58, confirmed that a cheque amounting to RM2.5 million was deposited into the bank account belonging to Messrs. Zulkarnain & Co on Feb 2, 2015.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering over SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million. — Bernama
