“I believe nothing was done to stop (the transaction) in August 2013.
“The bank does not ask (Bank Negara Malaysia) for approval on behalf of customers to remit money,” R Uma Devi, AmBank’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch manager, said when cross-examined by lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed.
Instead, the 37th prosecution witness said, the bank’s standard operating procedure required the customer to secure the central bank’s approval for transactions involving large sums of money.
Najib’s lawyer had suggested to the witness that his client was only returning an unutilised donation of US$620 million (then equivalent to RM2.03 billion) to the Saudi royal family.
In its opening statement made at the commencement of the trial, the prosecution had claimed that the sum of US$680 million (RM2.08 billion) which Najib received was money which originated from companies linked to fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.
That sum was deposited into Najib’s account at the bank between March and April 2013.
Two days ago, Uma told the court that US$620 million was withdrawn from the account between Aug 2 and 23, 2013 and sent to Tanore Singapore.
Wan Aizuddin asked if those transactions raised any red flags within the bank.
Uma replied that the transactions went through and that, to her knowledge, nothing was done to stop them.
Responding to another question regarding bank procedures in the event red flags were raised, she said the bank would identify trigger points based on the value of the sum transacted, its purpose, and the content of information disclosed by the customer.
“Screening will be done based on these trigger points. We will also see the conduct of the account holder,” she said.
She said customers would not be notified if red flags were raised in respect of any transaction.
“Investigations will be conducted on the transaction.
“I have experienced this at my branch. The bank has stopped some transactions for violating the anti-money laundering laws,” she said.
Najib, 69, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.