Deputy IGP says RM117m seized from Najib’s homes could be forfeited

(MMO) – The RM116.7 million cash seized from former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s residences could be forfeited under the anti-money laundering act, Deputy Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Noor Rashid Ibrahim said today.

He said the police had seized the sum as evidence, and its storage had led them to believe that the money could have been procured illegally.

“The way it was kept led us to believe that it was procured by illegal means, so based on that, we raided Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s residences and made arrests in relation to it,” he said.

He said police should be given time to complete investigations into the RM116.7 million cash that was seized in May.

The top police officer was responding to a legal application by Umno to reclaim the sum from the police.

He said there are only three possibilities of what could happen to the RM116.7 million after the police have complete investigations into it.

“We will decide on whether to take action in court or if not, under the anti-laundering act, it will be seized under civil forfeiture, if not, we will return it all,” he told reporters after officiating PDRM Innovation Day 2018 celebrations at Universiti Sains Malaysia here.

He said everything will be conducted based on evidence the police procured.

Noor Rashid added the police could let the court handle the case and decide whether there are criminal elements tied to the cash.

“If not, we can look at the anti-money laundering act where the sum can be held under civil forfeiture,” he said.

Umno’s Datuk Seri Abd Rauf Yusof recently filed a suit against federal police Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) deputy director (intelligence and operations) Datuk Mohd Sakri Arifin; CCID Assistant Commissioner R. Rajagopal; CCID director Datuk Seri Amar Singh; the inspector-general of police; and the Malaysian government to reclaim the RM116.7 million.

In its statement of claim, Umno is seeking a declaration that the search and seizure of the cash on May 17 was illegal.

It claimed that despite seeking the return of the cash from the defendants, the defendants had failed to return the money.

It also claimed that the sum consisted of election funds and that it was held by the then Umno president, Najib, and that no other party member had access to it nor have knowledge of the funds.

The High Court has set October 15 for case management of the suit.