Over RM1 million deposited in Rosmah's account between 2014 and 2017, bank officer tells court

A bank officer told the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday that a sum of RM1.09 million was deposited in Rosmah Mansor's personal current account at Affin Bank through several transactions between October 2014 and June 2017.

Affin Bank Bhd's ATM (automated teller machine) services and support assistant manager Nor Ashikin Abdullah, 58, said the money was deposited in Rosmah's account number 10-002000005-8 (account 0058) through cash deposit machines (CDM) at several Affin Bank branches, including Bangunan Getah Asli in Bangsar and Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera in Kuala Lumpur

She also told the court that in November 2018, she received a request from the anti-money laundering/combating the financing of terrorism unit of the bank for information on the records of cash deposit transactions using the CDM for Rosmah's account.

"I accessed Affin Bank's electronic records to obtain the requested information and then printed the report for cash deposit transactions using CDM for account 0058 from the electronic records, using the computer in the office," she said, adding that the statement was then handed over to Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officials.

The first prosecution witness was reading her witness statement on the first day of the trial of Rosmah, who has been charged with 12 counts of money laundering involving RM7,097,750 and five charges of failing to declare her income to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).

Meanwhile, the second prosecution witness, a former official at the Seri Perdana Complex, told the court that he once helped his superior, Roslan Sohari, the residential manager of the Seri Perdana Complex, deposit cash in the same bank account belonging to Rosmah.

Faizal Shamsuddin, 48, said he received instructions to deposit the money from Roslan, and the latter had handed him an envelope containing cash with Rosmah's bank account number written on the envelope.

"Roslan asked me to give the envelope containing the cash to the officer at Affin Bank to manage the deposit.

"I have identified the first document, which is the Affin Bank deposit slip which shows a cash deposit of RM200,000.00 on June 17, 2015, into Rosmah's account. Based on my handwriting on this deposit slip, I can confirm that this cash deposit was made by me on the instructions of Roslan," he said.

Earlier, before the commencement of the trial, deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib had asked the court to postpone today's proceedings, saying they needed time to consider a representation letter dated Aug 18 sent by Rosmah's solicitors.

Geethan Ram Vincent, the lead counsel for the defence, raised no objection.

However, judge K Muniandy rejected the prosecution's request and ordered the trial to proceed on the grounds that the charges against Rosmah were filed in 2018.

Meanwhile, another of Rosmah's lawyers, Firoz Hussein Ahmad Jamaluddin, informed the court that the defence would file an application to strike out all the charges against his client on or before Sept 7.

The judge then vacated the Aug 25 trial date and set Sept 7 and 8 for continuation of the trial.

Rosmah, 71, faces 12 money laundering charges involving RM7,097,750 and five counts of failing to declare her income to LHDN.

The wife of former prime minister Najib Razak was alleged to have committed the offences at Affin Bank, Bangunan Getah Asli branch, Jalan Ampang between Dec 4, 2013 and June 8, 2017, and at LHDN Kompleks Bangunan Kerajaan, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim between May 1, 2014 and May 1, 2018.