I hauled AmBank to industrial court, testifies Najib's former banker

1MDB TRIAL | Najib Abdul Razak’s former banker testified that she hauled her former employer AmBank to the industrial court over her dismissal linked to the management of the former premier's accounts.

Former relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that the bank let her go in 2015 over allegations of mismanagement of the former finance minister's accounts.

During the trial of Najib over the RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption case, 41st prosecution witness Yu admitted that the bank terminated her employment over the allegation she did not obtain prior approval from account holder Najib for third-party Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) to give her instructions over dealing with the accounts.

When lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah cross-examined Yu (above) on whether the bank made a second allegation that she shared banking information with Low over the accounts, she also admitted to it.

When asked by Shafee, she agreed that the bank made a third allegation that she breached banking laws.

Yu, however, told the court that she could not reveal much about the matter as there was a settlement between her and Ambank following the industrial court matter.

Shafee: You were terminated but you took AmBank to the industrial court?

Yu: Yes.

Shafee: And that brought the confidentiality terms (between Yu and Ambank to settle the industrial court dispute)?

Yu: Yes.

Previously, Shafee had asked Yu to bring her termination letter to court in order to facilitate the defence team's cross-examination of her.

During proceedings today, Shafee continued to grill her over her Blackberry Messenger (BBM) chats between herself and Low in relation to the management of Najib’s accounts.

She previously testified about her constant communication with businessperson Low over Najib’s accounts.

When Shafee referred to a portion of a February 2015 BBM chat between her and Low where she suggested the closing of Najib’s accounts, she testified that it was due to concerns raised by AmBank’s then-managing director R Ashok.

Yu claimed that Ashok had expressed not being comfortable with maintaining Najib’s accounts and wanted them closed.

She claimed that it was because Ashok did not have access to account holder Najib, unlike the previous Ambank managing director Cheah Tek Kuang.

Najib’s house

In previous 1MDB proceedings, 39th prosecution witness Cheah testified that he went to Najib’s house at Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, in 2011 in order to help the then-premier open a bank account with the bank.

Proceedings before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah would resume on Tuesday next week (Monday is the Thaipusam public holiday whereby the Kuala Lumpur High Court would be closed).

Kamal Baharin Omar and Ahmad Akram Gharib formed part of the deputy public prosecutors leading the prosecution team.

Najib is facing four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.

For the four abuse of power charges, the former Pekan MP is alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering counts, the former finance minister is purported to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

The prosecution contended that the wrongdoing at 1MDB was carried out by businessperson Low and several others, with Najib’s blessing.

However, the accused’s defence team claimed Najib had no knowledge of the crime perpetrated at 1MDB and that Low, as well as other members of the fund’s management, had masterminded the embezzlement.

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