KUALA LUMPUR – In her ongoing testimony in the high court today, the former general counsel for 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) revealed that fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, claimed that he possessed proof that he had always acted under Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s instructions, wishes and knowledge.
Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, 50, said Jho Low told her about it when she pressed him on the need to deposit large sums of money into Najib’s bank account.
According to the 50th prosecution witness, she initially did not know about the two security deposits for the sums of US$576,943,490 (RM2,761,193,848) and US$790,354,855.
These funds were transferred from Aabar Investment PJS Limited’s (BVI) account to the Blackstone Asia Real Estate account of Jho Low’s associate, Eric Tan Kim Loong, and later moved to various accounts, including those belonging to Najib, she added.
“I know about all the money transactions into Datuk Seri Najib’s account through the media and the United States Department of Justice report around 2015 and 2016 and I asked Jho Low about it.
“Jho Low said it was for Barisan Nasional’s political funds, particularly Umno. But when I pressed the matter and asked Jho Low again about the large transfers into Datuk Seri Najib’s account, Jho Low told me not to worry,” she said.
She was reading from her 63-page witness statement at Najib’s corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.
Loo added that Jho Low also told her not to take any action regarding the entry of money into Najib’s account because he would take care of everything.
However, Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah objected to Loo’s statement regarding the evidence allegedly possessed by Jho Low on the grounds that it was hearsay.
Earlier in the hearing, Loo said she frequently saw Najib and Jho Low together or nearby at the same 1MDB programmes or events and that the man also kept blank Prime Minister’s Office letterheads for his use.
“The blank letterhead on yellow paper was kept in an envelope for Jho Low’s use when necessary. For example, I saw the letterhead when the letter of appointment for Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman (former chief executive of 1MDB) was prepared at his home in Jalan Kia Peng here, and Jho Low told me he would take it to Datuk Seri Najib to be signed.
“Another example is when Datuk Seri Najib attended the United Nations Summit in New York. At that time, Jho Low was also there to organise Datuk Seri Najib’s meeting with American investors in collaboration with Goldman Sachs.
“And I was instructed (by Jho Low) to attend the meeting and report to him,” she said.
Najib, 70, faces four charges of abusing his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is ongoing. – February 14, 2024