Kevin Morais nothing to do with SRC International case, High Court told in Najib’s trial

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 — The 2015 murder of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais was unrelated to corruption investigations into SRC International Sdn Bhd, an anti-graft officer testified in the trial of Datuk Seri Najib Razak today.

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Senior Assistant Commissioner Rosli Husain, the prosecution’s 57th and final witness in Najib’s trial over the abuse of RM42 million in funds from the state-owned company, affirmed this under questioning from defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Muhammad Shafee had asked Rosli to clarify the rumours that Morais’ murder was linked to the latter’s work on both SRC International and its former parent company 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Muhammad Shafee: Was Kevin Morais involved in SRC?

Rosli: No.

Muhammad Shafee: 1MDB?

Rosli: I am unsure.

Ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram then objected to Muhammad Shafee’s line of questioning and argued that Morais’ case, in which six men are currently on trial for murder, has nothing to do with the SRC International trial.

Muhammad Shafee then responded by saying it was necessary to clear Najib’s name of being wrongfully linked to Morais’ high-profile murder.

“My client not only wants to be acquitted but he wants to look whiter than white,” he said.

Morais was reported missing on September 4, 2015 and was last seen leaving his condominium in a Proton Perdana at Menara Duta, Segambut for work in Putrajaya.

His body was subsequently found in a concrete-filled drum filled at Persiaran Subang Mewah in Subang Jaya, Selangor on September 16, 2015.

Rosli also said that no deputy public prosecutors from MACC had gone through the investigation papers before they were sent to former Attorney General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali on December 31, 2015.

“I personally sent them to Apandi as it was a ‘special case’. Only my superior then Special Operations division director Datuk Bahri Mohd Zin looked at them,” he said.

Najib is currently on trial for seven charges of alleged abuse of position, money-laundering and criminal breach of trust over RM42 million of funds from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1Malaysia Development Berhad.