KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak denied in the High Court here today of having communicated with fugitive businessman Jho Low, or Low Taek Jho, over management of his bank accounts.
This is a “U-turn” from what he told the court during cross-examination by lead prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram last Jan 9 that he was in contact with Jho Low on “a few occasions” over the operations of his personal AmBank accounts.
However, when re-examined by his lawyer, Harvinderjit Singh, today, the 67-year-old Pekan Member of Parliament said he only communicated with Jho Low in relation to the Arab donation coming into his account.
Harvinderjit: In the course of trial last year, AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu testified on dealing with Jho Low in the management of your accounts…Jho Low through the chat logs with Joanna gave the impression that he received the text from you in regards to the credit card (spending). Were you in communication with Jho Low on the management of your accounts?
Najib: No.
Harvinderjit: Then why Joanna was dealing with Jho Low despite Jho Low having no authority to deal with the accounts?
Najib: You should ask this to Joanna
Testifying under oath from the witness stand, Najib said most of the time, it was his former principal private secretary, Datuk Azlin Alias (now deceased) who handled matters regarding his bank accounts and did not discount the possibility of Azlin keeping in touch with Jho Low about it.
Before proceeding ended today, Harvinderjit told the court that the defence would call Krystle Yap Wy-Sze, a AmBank staff to testify tomorrow as Najib is expected to complete his testimony.
Najib is making his defence on seven charges of misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International funds, comprising three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering and one count of abuse of position in relation to the SRC funds.
The defence hearing before Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali , which began on Dec 3 last year, continues tomorrow.
