Cops seize cheque books, laptops, CCTV recordings in Seri Perdana raid

(MMO) – Two cheque books, one with Affin Bank and the other with Maybank were among the many personal items seized by the police during a raid last Wednesday at Seri Perdana — the prime minister’s official residence in Precinct 10, Putrajaya.

Malay Mail understands the Affin cheque book was found on top of a dressing table in a room that had been used by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife to ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, while the Maybank cheque book was found in another room used by their son Norashman Najib.

Other personal belongings confiscated inside the mansion by the team of over 30 federal investigators during the five-hour search that ended after midnight included two laptops and one Apple iPad found on tables and inside the drawers of cabinets.

Two books recording the entry and exit of visitors, including VIPs, were also taken from the security guardhouse by the investigators.

Another high-level team from the Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department returned last Thursday and seized a close circuit television network recorder, its power cord and the video recordings from Seri Perdana.

Malay Mail understands the search on Seri Perdana was based on a 2014 police report filed by former Umno member Datuk Seri Khairuddin Abu Hassan who is now with Parti Amanah Negara.

The raids are part of the police’s ongoing investigation into Najib who is suspected of criminal wrongdoing in the embezzlement of funds from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Raids have also been carried out at the Prime Minister’s Office in Perdana Putra, as well as private properties linked to the Pekan MP, including the Taman Duta mansion where he and Rosmah are currently living, and two luxury condominium units at Block A and B of the Pavillion Residences in Kuala Lumpur.

Najib is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act (AMLATFA) 2001.

For an offence under Section 4(1) of the AMLATFA, those convicted can be jailed up to 15 years and a fined not less than five times the sum or value of the proceeds of an unlawful activity or instrumentalities at the time the offence was committed or RM5 million, whichever is higher.

Najib and Rosmah have been blacklisted from leaving the country by the Immigration Department, but are free to travel anywhere domestically.

Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reopened investigations into the multi-billion dollar 1MDB scandal after returning to the office he vacated 15 years ago after winning the May 9 general election. But he said any action taken will wholly be by the book.