NAJIB TRIAL | A witness today spoke about what he claimed was a close relationship between Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former premier Najib Abdul Razak, and Low Taek Jho, the fugitive businessperson linked to the 1MDB scandal.

Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin, Najib's former special officer, testified that during several secret meetings with Low at Prince Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, he overheard the businessperson speaking to Rosmah on the phone.

He added that his late boss, Najib's former principal private secretary Azlin Alias, was also present at those meetings.

"There were several occasions, during my meetings with Azlin and Low at Prince Hotel, I could hear Rosmah talking to Low on the phone," he told the Kuala Lumpur High Court under cross-examination by lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Amhari (photo) could not offer details of the conversations, however.

Shafee: The nature of the phone conversation, you didn't know?

Amhari: No, I didn't take note.

Shafee: But you said you heard the voice?

Amhari: Yes.

Shafee: You made it a point (in your witness statement)?

Amhari: It was very loud. Very near... Just to reiterate, after hearing Rosmah's voice, Low said it was Rosmah and told us don't talk.

Testifying as the eighth witness in Najib's 1MDB graft trial, Amhari also said that Rosmah spoke of Low fondly.

"She did not say she was close to Low, but she spoke fondly of Low," he said.

Amhari also said the businessperson was often invited to private functions at the Najib family's private home.

"From the functions, some of the functions – I think I don't want to delve into personal lives, some private functions... I would see Low being invited as well and it's very exclusive," he said.

Amhari said some of these functions had around 100 guests including staff, VVIPs, businesspersons and government servants.

Najib is facing 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over the alleged misappropriation of RM2.28 billion from 1MDB at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, with judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah presiding.

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