Only Jho Low can answer why SRC funds sent to Najib's account, court hears
Only Low Taek Jho could answer why millions flowed from SRC International funds into former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's account, said Najib's legal team to the Court of Appeal.
This was told during the appeal hearing to quash Najib's conviction and sentencing over his RM42 million SRC corruption case...
Only Low Taek Jho could answer why millions flowed from SRC International funds into former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak's account, said Najib's legal team to the Court of Appeal.
This was told during the appeal hearing to quash Najib's conviction and sentencing over his RM42 million SRC corruption case.
The three-person panel's chairperson, Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, had asked defence lawyer Harvinderjit Singh about why Low (above), also known as Jho Low, would put RM27 million of SRC's money into Najib's account.
Karim: Why would Jho Low put money in Najib's account?
Harvinderjit: Only Jho Low can answer.
Earlier, Harvinderjit submitted that Low was involved in the convoluted monetary trail involving the accounts of SRC, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd (GMSB), Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) and Najib.
The lawyer contended that Low and several others were also involved in the monetary transfers involving Najib's account and that the former premier had no knowledge about it.
On July 28 last year, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur convicted Najib on one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), and three counts of money laundering in relation to RM42 million of funds from SRC.
The RM42 million, in three tranches of RM27 million, RM5 million, and RM10 million, were alleged to have been transferred from SRC and went through a convoluted trail to end up in Najib's bank account.
During proceedings, Karim had also asked how a third party with no official posts in SRC like Low could end up commandeering SRC’s bank account to affect the monetary transfers.
The question on Low’s role arose in reaction to the contention by Najib’s defence team that the fugitive businessperson and alleged associates arranged the transfers.
Karim: You are saying that somehow Jho Low came into the picture and commandeered the bank account of SRC without the knowledge of anybody?
Harvinderjit: We do not know at what point he could do this.
Karim: That seems to be the thrust of the defence’s case. I am trying to understand this. How was it possible for a third party, who is not named in any capacity in the company (SRC)?
Harvinderjit then contended that based on testimony by former banker Joanna Yu, Low was able to move the money out of SRC thanks to his alleged operative Terence Geh, who was then 1MDB executive director.
The lawyer also contended that Geh had used soft copy instruction letters, with cut and paste signatures, to transfer millions of ringgit out of SRC.
Harvinderjit claimed that Low directed Yu to work with Jerome Lee (another alleged associate of Low) to deposit the funds into Najib’s account.
The lawyer contended that Yu’s testimony showed that there was no communication between Low and Najib in relation to the transfers.
He claimed that Low had no knowledge when cheques were issued, thus showing that there has been no communication between the fugitive and Najib.
Karim: How could this man (Low) be so powerful?
Harvinderjit: We do not know.
Hearing before the Court of Appeal continues this afternoon, and is expected to also resume tomorrow morning.
Besides Karim, the other members of the Court of Appeal bench are Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera and Has Zanah Mehat.
Report this comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.