KUALA LUMPUR, March 9 — Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial today turned tense momentarily after former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief Latheefa Koya insisted she was bound by law to not disclose how anti-graft officers conduct wiretapping.

Testifying in Najib’s trial as a defence witness, Latheefa was questioned by Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah on MACC’s conduct in wiretapping individuals they were probing.

Muhammad Shafee was referring to the nine audio recordings of alleged conversations involving Najib among others.

Ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram suggested to the court that Muhammad Shafee seemed to be on a “fishing expedition” on the method used by MACC to intercept phone conversations.

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“She told the court she doesn’t know if MACC was the one who tapped the phone calls.

“She is merely exercising her rights under Section 43(5) of the MACC Act and she cannot be compelled to disclose in any court proceedings how they intercept phone calls,” he said.

The court then allowed Latheefa to refuse Muhammad Shafee’s question.

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Muhammad Shafee who seemed irritated over Latheefa’s response decided to release her from the witness stand with no further questions asked.

“Yang Arif, I am done with this witness. She is not answering my questions. Although she is my witness, I have established her attitude more than enough.

“We have the Attorney-General (Tan Sri Tommy Thomas who has since resigned) who made a bold statement at the beginning of the trial about the money in Switzerland, but as the chief commissioner, the witness was not answering. I have no further questions,” he said.

Earlier, Latheefa started to became irritated over Muhammad Shafee’s line of questioning when the lawyer began asking her about investigations done by MACC on the RM4 billion loan from the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) to SRC International that was allegedly sent to BSI bank in Switzerland.

She was subpoenaed by Najib’s defence team as they wanted to admit the nine MACC audio recordings — released earlier this year — in court to support their case.

Muhammad Shafee: This RM4 billion or larger part of it is apparently sent to BSI bank in Lugano, has there been any inquiry on your side as to what happened to the money?

Latheefa: Am I being cross-examined here? I have been told that I was called here to give my testimony on the audio recordings. If you are asking me about the particular charge, I may not be able to assist.

Muhammad Shafee: Have you been following this trial?

Latheefa: Not in detail, just in general.

Muhammad Shafee: Were you aware that one of the allegations made was that RM4 billion was transferred to a bank in Switzerland. You surely would want to find out where did the RM4 billion go?

Latheefa: There is general information that I know. But the charge was made before I came to be chief commissioner.

Muhammad Shafee: But as the chief commissioner at that time, surely you want to know?

Latheefa: It was not just the RM4 billion; we are interested to know all of the money related to SRC, 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad), correlation to those and where those assets went. We are interested in asset recovery, whether it’s in Switzerland, the United States or London, and we are in the process of recovering those monies.

Najib is on trial over seven charges related to SRC International.

Three are for criminal breach of trust over a total RM42 million of SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the prime minister and finance minister then, three more are for laundering the RM42 million, and the last is for abusing the same positions for self-gratification of the same sum.