Jho Low claimed to have proof he acted on Najib's behest: 1MDB witness

1MDB TRIAL | Jasmine Loo has testified that fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) claimed to have evidence to show his actions were done on the behest and knowledge of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.

The former 1MDB general counsel told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that Low made the claim to her after he was asked about media reports between 2015 and 2016 on a large influx of funds entering Najib’s bank account.

Loo claimed that after reading the media articles as well as a report by the US Department of Justice (DOJ), she had asked Low why so much money flowed into Najib’s account. The witness claimed that she was unaware of the funds before the media reports.

The 50th prosecution witness, who used to be part of Low’s inner circle, claimed that the businessperson told her that the money was political funds for BN, specifically Umno.

“After I urged and asked Low regarding the transactions, Low asked me not to worry, that he would take care of it and that I need not take any action, because he would take care of everything.

“Low also said that in the event that anything happens to him, he has evidence to show that what he did was on the request, wish, and knowledge of Najib,” Loo told trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Defence objects to hearsay

At this juncture of Najib’s RM2.27 billion 1MDB corruption trial, the accused’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah objected to Loo’s testimony on grounds of hearsay.

Under the law, hearsay evidence refers to testimony based on what a witness has heard from another person rather than on direct personal knowledge or experience.

Sequerah then made note of the defence’s objection and Loo proceeded with reading out from her written witness statement.

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.

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

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

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