No evidence to show Najib returned US$120mil, says witness

Asset recovery specialist Angela Barkhouse disputes the defence counsel’s suggestion that the funds were transferred from SRC International to Tanore Finance Corporation as part of a larger payment.

(FMT) – An asset recovery specialist told the High Court here that there was no evidence to show former prime minister Najib Razak “returned” a purported US$120 million from SRC International to Singapore-registered firm Tanore Finance Corporation.

Angela Barkhouse said she had not seen any documentary evidence to suggest that US$120 million was returned to Tanore in 2013.

Lawyer Harvinderjit Singh – appearing for Najib in SRC International’s suit against him and the company’s former CEO, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil – suggested to Barkhouse that the money was returned to Tanore through redemption.

“Do you agree that this US$120 million was part of a US$620 million that was returned to Tanore?” he asked.

“I haven’t seen that evidence. This is a separate issue,” Barkhouse said.

SRC International is suing Najib and Nik Faisal for breach of trust and duty, wrongful receipt of company property, and dishonestly and wrongfully conspiring to convert company property for their use.

The lawsuit initially named six former directors as co-defendants.

Ismee Ismail, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, Suboh Yasin, Azhar Osman Khairuddin and Che Abdullah Rashidi Che Omar were dropped as defendants, but named by Najib as third parties.

The company also wants Najib to return the US$120 million and Nik Faisal to repay US$2 million.

Meanwhile, Barkhouse told the court that she knew that Tan Kim Loong – who controlled Tanore – was Low Taek Jho’s aide, based on a US Department of Justice (DoJ) lawsuit.

However, she said she was not involved in the DoJ case.

The hearing continues before Justice Ahmad Fairuz tomorrow.