Rafizi: I did not seek verification of NFCorp bank account documents
(Bernama) – PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli (pix) told the High Court here today that he did not seek any verification from the bank in regards to the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd’s (NFCorp) bank account documents which he received from an unknown source.
Mohd Rafizi, 39, who is also PKR secretary-general, said he did not even reassess the content of the documents with the NFCorp executive chairman Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Salleh Ismail.
He also admitted that he found the documents in an envelope sent to his office and that he had no idea how it got there.
“I did not know who sent the documents, I did not reassess the content of the document with a third party before making public statement, and it is my responsibility to find out who the informant was,” he said.
Mohd Rafizi said this when answering a question from counsel Datuk M. David Morais representing Mohamad Salleh as the plaintiff in the suit he (Mohamad Salleh) filed against Mohd Rafizi and Malaysiakini news portal over the purchase of a property in KL Eco City, Bangsar.
Mohd Rafizi, who previously worked as an accountant and auditor, said based on his experience, he was quite familiar with financial statements.
“If I have no knowledge of the content of the documents, I might have thrown all the information away,” he said, admitting that he only learnt that the informant was a former employee of Public Bank after two months of receiving the documents.
In a witness statement submitted to the court, Mohd Rafizi, who was represented by counsel Razlan Hadri Zulkifli, said he disclosed the documents pertaining to the NFCorp scandal because it involved public interest and that the public had the right to know.
He said NFCorp scandal did not only get the media attention but had become a hot topic of debate in Parliament.
In the suit filed on June 3, 2013, Mohamad Salleh, 67, and NFCorp, claimed that on March 7, 2012, Mohd Rafizi, who was then PKR strategic director, had made a defamatory statement concerning the purchase of the property during a press conference at the PKR headquarters and that the statement was published by Malaysiakini on the same day.
Mohamad Salleh said the suit was filed because of the losses suffered as a result of the lies, misleading information, disclosure of confidential banking information and the defamatory statement made by the defendant.
He is seeking general, exemplary and aggravated damages, as well as interest, costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.
He also seeks an injunction to prevent the defendant from continue issuing a statement that can mislead and confuse the public about issue.
The trial before Judicial Commissioner Azizul Azmi Adnan continues on Monday.
