THE High Court was told that a financial fraud investigator did not trace whether the US$620 million returned by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to Tanore Finance Corporation was subsequently channelled back to him.
Richard Templeman, a United Kingdom-based financial fraud investigator, acknowledged the omission during cross-examination by Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, in the civil suit filed by 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and four of its subsidiaries against Najib and six former company executives.
Muhammad Shafee noted that Najib had received US$681 million before returning US$620 million to Tanore several months later, and questioned whether Templeman had investigated if the returned funds had ultimately found their way back to the former prime minister.
Templeman admitted that he had not.
Muhammad Shafee: "Don't you think that is a critical issue, given that you are acting as a fraud investigator?"
Templeman: "I believe I have investigated the relevant matters."
Muhammad Shafee: "But you did not investigate whether the US$620mil somehow went around and came back to Najib?"
Templeman: "No. I do not believe I have ever claimed that."
The defence also questioned whether Templeman had investigated Najib's claim that the funds were transferred into his bank account with the approval of Bank Negara Malaysia.
"I have not seen that document," Templeman replied.
Muhammad Shafee further highlighted that Templeman only assumed responsibility for the investigation in July 2021, approximately two months after 1MDB had commenced the civil action, suggesting that the investigator had been brought in to support an already-filed claim.
Templeman agreed that the lawsuit had been initiated before he began his investigation.
Muhammad Shafee then suggested that the witness had been called to testify to "bolster a claim that had already been made", to which Templeman responded that he could not comment.
The civil suit was filed on May 7, 2021, by 1MDB together with its subsidiaries, 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd, 1MDB Energy Ltd, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd and Global Diversified Investment Company Ltd, formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Ltd.
In addition to Najib, the plaintiffs named former 1MDB finance officer Terrence Geh Choh Heng, former executive director Casey Tang Keng Chee, former chief investment officer Vincent Beng Huat Koh, former chief operations officer Radhi Mohamad, former investment director Kelvin Tan Kay Jim and former SRC International Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as defendants.
The plaintiffs allege that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties and duties of trust, abused their positions and conspired to misappropriate funds belonging to 1MDB.
The hearing before Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan Idrus continues today. - August 5, 2026
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