Arab princes invited Najib, family on yacht holiday - witness
Former special officer to Najib, Wan Ahmad Shihab Wan Ismail, 48, said the information on the holiday destinations was informed by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho or Jho Low...
The High Court in Kuala Lumpur today was told that Najib Abdul Razak and his family members had holidays onboard several yachts in southern France, Greece and Italy waters from 2009 to 2013 at the invitation of the princes of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.
Former special officer to Najib, Wan Ahmad Shihab Wan Ismail, 48, said the information on the holiday destinations was informed by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.
The 16th prosecution witness said in August 2009, he was contacted by Low and was informed that Najib and his family would be having a holiday in southern France at the invitation of a Kuwaiti prince and a friend, Syeikh Hamed onboard their yacht, RM Elegance.
Wan Ahmad Shihab said Low also gave him the telephone number of a man named Sahle to make the holiday arrangements.
He later confirmed the matter with Najib before contacting Sahle to provide information on the holiday including the list of names of the group, holiday duration and all the requirements needed there.
“Joining the holiday were Rosmah Mansor, her children Nor Ashman, Nooryana Najwa and Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz. Apart from that, some friends of Najib also joined including Bustari Yusuf and one of his children.
"The entire holiday entourage was about 20 people including bodyguards, maids and household staff,” he said when reading out his witness statement during an examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.
When relating further about the holiday in southern France, Wan Ahmad Shihab said on the second or third day of sailing, Najib informed him that a Saudi prince on another yacht nearby had invited Najib and his family for an evening drink on board his boat.
“I later informed Sahle to provide a small boat (tender) for us to go to the Saudi prince’s yacht. As far as I remember the Saudi prince was Prince Turki.
"On arrival at the yacht, we were greeted by Prince Turki and a man who identified himself as Tarek Obaid,” he said and added that he did not know the purpose of the meeting and when he entered the reception of the boat, he found Low was with them.
Relating on the second holiday in the waters of Greece, and Italy in the middle of 2010, Wan Ahmad Shihab said Low told him that a Saudi prince had invited Najib and his family for a vacation on his boat before giving the telephone number of the boat captain Mitch Hitch.
“The group was participated by 17 people including Najib, Rosmah, Riza, Nooryana, Ashman, myself, escort officers and household staff as well as a friend of Najib. Upon arrival in Athens, Greece, we were received by Hitch and were brought to the Golden Odyssey yacht.
“Upon arrival on the boat, I found Bustari and several acquaintances of Najib in the boat. They were present as members of the holiday entourage but they took commercial flight by themselves and arrived on their own one day earlier,” he said.
On the holiday, the witness said on the fifth day of sailing on Golden Odyssey, he was contacted by a woman, Natasha who was a friend of Rosmah via SMS and asked about the whereabouts of the boat and if they had arrived in Rome as she was bringing several guests to meet Rosmah.
“I told Natasha via email the location where the yacht would be anchoring in Rome and I gave the number to Hitch for him to contact directly. A day later after the boat anchored in Rome, I saw Natasha on the boat with Rosmah.
“I did not pay any attention to her as I did not interfere in Rosmah’s matters. At the end of the visit, I returned to Malaysia earlier by a commercial flight from Cote D’azur Airport, Nice, France as I had some my personal matters to attend to,” he said.
On the holiday in 2013, Wan Ahmad Shihab said Najib and his family were invited for a vacation in southern France on board the Topaz owned by Sheikh Mansour, a prince from Abu Dhabi, and also seen were Mohamed Badawy Al-Husseiny, a director of Aabar Investments PJS with Robert Baker, a professional golf trainer.
Wan Ahmad Shihab said that night a man named Robert Shepherd announced that he was preparing to receive Riza at the Topaz and when Riza arrived on the Topaz, he found Low and Joey McFarland (producer of Wolf Of Wall Street) were with Riza.
“I did not know the purpose of Low and McFarland’s presence but I assumed their presence was to holiday together. When Low and McFarland were on board the boat, I always saw them together and heard their conversation was focused on making a Hollywood movie,” he said.
Wan Ahmad Shihab said there was no payment for accommodation on the three vacations as Najib and his family were holidaying by invitation.
Najib, 68, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
- Bernama
