RM466,330 watch chosen by Rosmah herself – Najib

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Rosmah and Najib during one of their court appearances. – Bernama file photo

KUALA LUMPUR: The RM466,330 watch which was purchased by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in Honolulu, in the United States,  as a birthday gift for his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, was chosen by the woman herself.

Najib, 66, told the High Court here today that he purchased the watch to atone for his guilt in having to postpone the family vacation.

He said this when making his defence  on seven counts of misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds during examination-in-chief by his lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Najib said the watch was purchased on Dec 22, 2014 before he had to rush home to Malaysia because of the severe floods in Kelantan.

Najib said he would normally be with his family  between 10 days to two weeks for the family vacation, but for 2014, he had to cut short his holiday because of the extra-ordinary floods in Kelantan.

“My family was sad because I had to leave them and return to Malaysia immediately despite taking the year-end holiday with the intention of celebrating my wife’s birthday…I then decided to buy something of her choice,” he added.

Last Nov 11, the High Court today ordered Najib  to enter his defence on seven charges of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, comprising three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), three counts of money laundering  and one count of abuse of power in relation to the SRC funds.

The hearing is before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. – Bernama