Najib’s trial Day 47: ‘Jho Low told me to lie,’ says witness
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 1 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho
also known as Jho Low, had requested former Ambank relationship
manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping to lie for the purpose of cashing out three
bank draftss totalling RM139 million issued by SRC International Sdn Bhd’s AmBank account, the High Court here heard.
Yu, 48, said the bank draft was supposedly issued to pay Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd on behalf of Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, which, however was not a subsidiary of SRC at that time.
The 54th prosecution witness said Jho Low asked her to lie about the bank draft in July 2014.
She said Jho Low also asked her to “make up a story” about the bank drafts issued to AmBank and Public Bank.
She said this during cross-examination by counsel Harvinderjit Singh on the 47th day of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s trial here today. Najib is facing seven counts of misappropriation of SRC funds totalling RM42 million.
Harvinderjit: He was asking you to make up a story?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: To your own bank (AmBank) and Public Bank?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: He was asking you to lie?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: ‘He’ means Jho Low?
Yu: Yes.
Questioned further, Yu revealed that the SRC’s money was transferred to Najib’s account to avoid being overdrawn.
She said the instruction to transfer the money came from Jho low.
Harvinderjit: The endeavour taken by Jho Low was to ensure (that) the cheques don’t bounce?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: Nineteen cash deposits of substantial value. And all of it was for the purpose so that the cheques don’t bounce?
Yu: Yes for the MNR’s (Mohd Najib Razak) account.
Harvinderjit: Now let me count this. In February 2015, circumstances arose on an urgent basis requiring funds to be urgently (deposited) into the account.
Yu: Yes, to avoid overdraw.
Harvinderjit: You know for a fact that the money came from SRC?
Yu: Yes, SRC.
Harvinderjit: He (Jho Low) arranged for SRC funds to move out of SRC (and) to go into the ‘880’ account (belonging to Najib)?
Yu: Yes.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
The hearing before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues on Monday.
— NNN-BERNAMA
Credit : namnewsnetwork.org
Source Link : http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/?p=35735
Yu, 48, said the bank draft was supposedly issued to pay Putra Perdana Construction Sdn Bhd on behalf of Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, which, however was not a subsidiary of SRC at that time.
The 54th prosecution witness said Jho Low asked her to lie about the bank draft in July 2014.
She said Jho Low also asked her to “make up a story” about the bank drafts issued to AmBank and Public Bank.
She said this during cross-examination by counsel Harvinderjit Singh on the 47th day of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s trial here today. Najib is facing seven counts of misappropriation of SRC funds totalling RM42 million.
Harvinderjit: He was asking you to make up a story?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: To your own bank (AmBank) and Public Bank?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: He was asking you to lie?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: ‘He’ means Jho Low?
Yu: Yes.
Questioned further, Yu revealed that the SRC’s money was transferred to Najib’s account to avoid being overdrawn.
She said the instruction to transfer the money came from Jho low.
Harvinderjit: The endeavour taken by Jho Low was to ensure (that) the cheques don’t bounce?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: Nineteen cash deposits of substantial value. And all of it was for the purpose so that the cheques don’t bounce?
Yu: Yes for the MNR’s (Mohd Najib Razak) account.
Harvinderjit: Now let me count this. In February 2015, circumstances arose on an urgent basis requiring funds to be urgently (deposited) into the account.
Yu: Yes, to avoid overdraw.
Harvinderjit: You know for a fact that the money came from SRC?
Yu: Yes, SRC.
Harvinderjit: He (Jho Low) arranged for SRC funds to move out of SRC (and) to go into the ‘880’ account (belonging to Najib)?
Yu: Yes.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International funds amounting to RM42 million.
The hearing before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues on Monday.
— NNN-BERNAMA
Credit : namnewsnetwork.org
Source Link : http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/?p=35735
The criminal trial of
former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged
misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 47th
day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
Summary of Najib’s SRC RM42 million case
Najib is facing 7 charges relating to RM42m involving SRC International,
a former 1MDB subsidiary.
1 abuse of power charge
3 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges
3 money laundering charges
Click to view information on judge, prosecution and defence team
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's
account
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from
bouncing
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn
account
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report
6.10pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Court adjourns for the day
5pm - Proceedings adjourn for the day and will continue on Monday at
2pm.
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
4.40pm - Wanted businessperson Jho Low queried former AmBank
relationship manager Joanna Yu on Bank Negara approval, prior to the
transfer of RM105 million from SRC International to Putra Perdana
Construction (PPC) on July 14, 2014.
The 54th witness Yu agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh on the message
queries by Jho Low to her prior to the transfer.
Harvinderjit: RM105 million (transferred) on July 14 (2014). But on July
9, Jho Low messaged you on whether this needed Bank Negara approval
(among others). That line of inquiry, before the RM105 million was
transferred from SRC to PPC, you received queries from Jho Low intending
to take RM105 million from SRC and convert into US dollars and send
out?
Yu: Yes.
She also agrees that based on chat logs, Jho Low had also asked her
whether splitting the money into two portions would avoid the need to
report to Bank Negara.
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's account
3.57pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that
fugitive financier Jho Low used the term "Eagle 27" to refer to a
transfer of RM27 million from SRC International and finally to Najib
Abdul Razak's AmBank current account ending with the number 880.
Sketch of Najib in the dock listening to the cross-examination of
witness Joanna Yu
She agrees to this following a question by defence lawyer Harvinderjit
Singh in regard to an RM27 million transfer from Permai Binaraya to
Najib's 880 account on July 8, 2014.
Harvinderjit was referring to a chat log of her messages with Jho Low on
that date regarding the transfer.
Harvinderjit: Eagle 27, (stands) for RM27 million transferred from
Permai Binaraya to the 880 account?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: The RM27 million was from Permai Binaraya's Maybank
account to the 880 account, and that originated from Putra Perdana
Construction, which itself originated from the RM35 million that Terence
Geh took out of SRC on July 8, 2014?
Yu: Yes.
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from bouncing
3.30pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that Jho
Low arranged an RM10 million transfer from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's
AmBank account to prevent previously issued cheques from bouncing.
The 54th witness agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh that the movement
of funds was not to ensure future cheques would not bounce.
Harvinderjit: The money was to regularise (Najib’s account ending with
the number 880) for cheques already issued, including the (RM3.5
million) cheque to (law firm) Hafarizam (Wan & Aisha Mubarak)?
Yu: That and several others that came after.
Harvinderjit: The money was not to clear future cheques but cheques
already issued?
Yu: Yes.
The court previously heard that several cheques were made out from
Najib's current account, among them a cheque of RM3.5 million to the law
firm issued on Jan 21, 2015.
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
3.05pm - Wanted fugitive Jho Low was "calling the shots" in the transfer
of RM10 million from SRC International's subsidiary Gandingan Mentari
to Ihsan Perdana, in order to go into Najib's AmBank account ending with
the number 880 in Feb 2015.
Sketch of Joanna Yu answering questions in court
Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees with lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh that Jho Low and others such as Terence Geh and Ung
Su Ling made the arrangement.
Harvinderjit: What we can reflect, Jho Low was calling the shots, with
Ung Su Ling working in tandem. They arrange RM10 million out of
Gandingan Mentari and put in Ihsan Perdana, to transfer to the 880
account?
Yu: Yes.
Ung is former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia CEO while Geh is former 1MDB
executive finance director.
1MDB owned SRC International at one point.
Yu was then also AmBank’s relationship manager for 1MDB-related
accounts.
Proceedings resume
2.40pm - Proceedings resume after lunch break.
Court breaks for lunch
1.08pm - Proceedings break for lunch, and will resume at 2.30pm.
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn account
12.30pm - Joanna Yu agrees that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho
(photo) was among those who scrambled to arrange for funds to be
transferred into Najib Abdul Razak's bank account whenever she told them
it was overdrawn.
The former AmBank customer relationship manager says this to lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh this during cross-examination.
Harvinderjit: You told them, then Low and his cohorts scramble. The
starting point is you telling Low that the account was overdrawn.
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit is referring to chat logs of her conversation with Low on
Feb 5, 2015, on an attempt to transfer money into Najib's AmBank account
ending 880 as it was overdrawn.
These chat logs purportedly show Low's involvement in getting RM5
million transferred from SRC International to Gandingan Mentari, then to
Ihsan Perdana before ending up in the 880 account.
Trial will start at 2pm on Monday
11.31am - Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows
an application from the prosecution to start proceedings at 2pm rather
than 9am on Monday.
On that day, the Court of Appeal will hear the prosecution's appeal
against Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah's
insistence on proceeding with Najib's RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial on Aug
19.
Sequerah had declined to postpone the 1MDB trial, despite the high
probability that the present case will not be completed by that date.
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
11.30am - Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah says an
application will be filed on Monday to strike out the prosecution's bid
to compel Najib Abdul Razak to apologise over two Facebook posts deemed
sub judice.
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
10.23am - Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu
testifies that she and her team refused an offer from Low Taek Jho to
work at SRC International.
She tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh (photo) this when he refers to a
chat log between her and the fugitive businessperson dated Nov 24, 2013.
According to the log, Low asked whether Yu knew any good CFOs for SRC
International.
At one point, Low asks "Can I hire Daniel Lee too?"
Harvinderjit asks Yu what this meant.
Yu: I think he wanted to hire all of us (Yu, her team member Lee among
others), and we said no.
Harvinderjit: That is a very lucrative, RM60,000 (salary).
Yu: We did not want to work with them.
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
10.14am - Wanted businessperson Low Taek Jho was referred to as the
"fatty one" by 1MDB executive finance director Terence Geh.
Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu testifies that Geh
referred to Low as such during a conversation with Geh on Nov 7, 2013.
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
10.05am - The court hears from former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho may have
control over SRC International's banking transactions.
In her testimony under cross-examination by the defence, Yu agrees to a
suggestion that former SRC International director Terence Geh was a
subordinate to Low.
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
9.34am - "She is not explaining, acting ignorant, evasive," says defence
lawyer Harvinderjit Singh during his cross-examination of former AmBank
customer relationship manager Joanna Yu.
Harvinderjit's line of questioning on Yu over AmBank documents seized by
MACC had elicited objection from deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram
(photo).
"Let her finish, she is trying to explain," Sithambaram says.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then requests
that the witness be allowed to answer.
Najib enters the dock
9.13am - Najib enters the dock as proceedings begin.
8.59am - Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the court and
takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Also seen in court awaiting the beginning of proceedings are
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and DPPs, as well as Najib's defence
counsel Harvinderjit Singh and other defence lawyers.
Today will mark the sixth day that former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu will take the stand to be cross-examined by Najib
Abdul Razak’s defence team.
As the former prime minister’s RM42 million SRC International trial
before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali enters its
47th day, the 54th witness is set to face further questioning over her
dealings with fugitive financier Low Taek Jho.
Since the defence began questioning Yu on July 23, their strategy
appears to be an attempt to unravel the role purportedly played by
wanted businessperson Low in directing Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil – former
SRC International CEO and mandate holder for Najib’s accounts – to
transfer millions of ringgit in and out of the accused’s accounts.
Like Low, the whereabouts of 48-year-old Nik Faisal is unknown.
According to the police, Nik Faisal is “in hiding” somewhere in
Southeast Asia.
Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh's line of questioning had at times
also focused on trying to uncover whether Yu herself was merely taking
orders from Low in arranging the massive monetary flows in and out of
Najib's three AmBank current accounts, which are central to the former
premier's seven charges involving abuse of power, corruption, and money
laundering.
-Mkini
Mine coins - make money: http://bit.ly/money_crypto
Mine coins - make money: http://bit.ly/money_crypto
The criminal trial of
former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged
misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 47th
day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
Summary of Najib’s SRC RM42 million case
Najib is facing 7 charges relating to RM42m involving SRC International,
a former 1MDB subsidiary.
1 abuse of power charge
3 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges
3 money laundering charges
Click to view information on judge, prosecution and defence team
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's
account
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from
bouncing
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn
account
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report
6.10pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Court adjourns for the day
5pm - Proceedings adjourn for the day and will continue on Monday at
2pm.
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
4.40pm - Wanted businessperson Jho Low queried former AmBank
relationship manager Joanna Yu on Bank Negara approval, prior to the
transfer of RM105 million from SRC International to Putra Perdana
Construction (PPC) on July 14, 2014.
The 54th witness Yu agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh on the message
queries by Jho Low to her prior to the transfer.
Harvinderjit: RM105 million (transferred) on July 14 (2014). But on July
9, Jho Low messaged you on whether this needed Bank Negara approval
(among others). That line of inquiry, before the RM105 million was
transferred from SRC to PPC, you received queries from Jho Low intending
to take RM105 million from SRC and convert into US dollars and send
out?
Yu: Yes.
She also agrees that based on chat logs, Jho Low had also asked her
whether splitting the money into two portions would avoid the need to
report to Bank Negara.
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's account
3.57pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that
fugitive financier Jho Low used the term "Eagle 27" to refer to a
transfer of RM27 million from SRC International and finally to Najib
Abdul Razak's AmBank current account ending with the number 880.
Sketch of Najib in the dock listening to the cross-examination of
witness Joanna Yu
She agrees to this following a question by defence lawyer Harvinderjit
Singh in regard to an RM27 million transfer from Permai Binaraya to
Najib's 880 account on July 8, 2014.
Harvinderjit was referring to a chat log of her messages with Jho Low on
that date regarding the transfer.
Harvinderjit: Eagle 27, (stands) for RM27 million transferred from
Permai Binaraya to the 880 account?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: The RM27 million was from Permai Binaraya's Maybank
account to the 880 account, and that originated from Putra Perdana
Construction, which itself originated from the RM35 million that Terence
Geh took out of SRC on July 8, 2014?
Yu: Yes.
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from bouncing
3.30pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that Jho
Low arranged an RM10 million transfer from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's
AmBank account to prevent previously issued cheques from bouncing.
The 54th witness agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh that the movement
of funds was not to ensure future cheques would not bounce.
Harvinderjit: The money was to regularise (Najib’s account ending with
the number 880) for cheques already issued, including the (RM3.5
million) cheque to (law firm) Hafarizam (Wan & Aisha Mubarak)?
Yu: That and several others that came after.
Harvinderjit: The money was not to clear future cheques but cheques
already issued?
Yu: Yes.
The court previously heard that several cheques were made out from
Najib's current account, among them a cheque of RM3.5 million to the law
firm issued on Jan 21, 2015.
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
3.05pm - Wanted fugitive Jho Low was "calling the shots" in the transfer
of RM10 million from SRC International's subsidiary Gandingan Mentari
to Ihsan Perdana, in order to go into Najib's AmBank account ending with
the number 880 in Feb 2015.
Sketch of Joanna Yu answering questions in court
Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees with lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh that Jho Low and others such as Terence Geh and Ung
Su Ling made the arrangement.
Harvinderjit: What we can reflect, Jho Low was calling the shots, with
Ung Su Ling working in tandem. They arrange RM10 million out of
Gandingan Mentari and put in Ihsan Perdana, to transfer to the 880
account?
Yu: Yes.
Ung is former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia CEO while Geh is former 1MDB
executive finance director.
1MDB owned SRC International at one point.
Yu was then also AmBank’s relationship manager for 1MDB-related
accounts.
Proceedings resume
2.40pm - Proceedings resume after lunch break.
Court breaks for lunch
1.08pm - Proceedings break for lunch, and will resume at 2.30pm.
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn account
12.30pm - Joanna Yu agrees that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho
(photo) was among those who scrambled to arrange for funds to be
transferred into Najib Abdul Razak's bank account whenever she told them
it was overdrawn.
The former AmBank customer relationship manager says this to lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh this during cross-examination.
Harvinderjit: You told them, then Low and his cohorts scramble. The
starting point is you telling Low that the account was overdrawn.
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit is referring to chat logs of her conversation with Low on
Feb 5, 2015, on an attempt to transfer money into Najib's AmBank account
ending 880 as it was overdrawn.
These chat logs purportedly show Low's involvement in getting RM5
million transferred from SRC International to Gandingan Mentari, then to
Ihsan Perdana before ending up in the 880 account.
Trial will start at 2pm on Monday
11.31am - Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows
an application from the prosecution to start proceedings at 2pm rather
than 9am on Monday.
On that day, the Court of Appeal will hear the prosecution's appeal
against Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah's
insistence on proceeding with Najib's RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial on Aug
19.
Sequerah had declined to postpone the 1MDB trial, despite the high
probability that the present case will not be completed by that date.
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
11.30am - Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah says an
application will be filed on Monday to strike out the prosecution's bid
to compel Najib Abdul Razak to apologise over two Facebook posts deemed
sub judice.
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
10.23am - Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu
testifies that she and her team refused an offer from Low Taek Jho to
work at SRC International.
She tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh (photo) this when he refers to a
chat log between her and the fugitive businessperson dated Nov 24, 2013.
According to the log, Low asked whether Yu knew any good CFOs for SRC
International.
At one point, Low asks "Can I hire Daniel Lee too?"
Harvinderjit asks Yu what this meant.
Yu: I think he wanted to hire all of us (Yu, her team member Lee among
others), and we said no.
Harvinderjit: That is a very lucrative, RM60,000 (salary).
Yu: We did not want to work with them.
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
10.14am - Wanted businessperson Low Taek Jho was referred to as the
"fatty one" by 1MDB executive finance director Terence Geh.
Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu testifies that Geh
referred to Low as such during a conversation with Geh on Nov 7, 2013.
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
10.05am - The court hears from former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho may have
control over SRC International's banking transactions.
In her testimony under cross-examination by the defence, Yu agrees to a
suggestion that former SRC International director Terence Geh was a
subordinate to Low.
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
9.34am - "She is not explaining, acting ignorant, evasive," says defence
lawyer Harvinderjit Singh during his cross-examination of former AmBank
customer relationship manager Joanna Yu.
Harvinderjit's line of questioning on Yu over AmBank documents seized by
MACC had elicited objection from deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram
(photo).
"Let her finish, she is trying to explain," Sithambaram says.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then requests
that the witness be allowed to answer.
Najib enters the dock
9.13am - Najib enters the dock as proceedings begin.
8.59am - Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the court and
takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Also seen in court awaiting the beginning of proceedings are
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and DPPs, as well as Najib's defence
counsel Harvinderjit Singh and other defence lawyers.
Today will mark the sixth day that former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu will take the stand to be cross-examined by Najib
Abdul Razak’s defence team.
As the former prime minister’s RM42 million SRC International trial
before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali enters its
47th day, the 54th witness is set to face further questioning over her
dealings with fugitive financier Low Taek Jho.
Since the defence began questioning Yu on July 23, their strategy
appears to be an attempt to unravel the role purportedly played by
wanted businessperson Low in directing Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil – former
SRC International CEO and mandate holder for Najib’s accounts – to
transfer millions of ringgit in and out of the accused’s accounts.
Like Low, the whereabouts of 48-year-old Nik Faisal is unknown.
According to the police, Nik Faisal is “in hiding” somewhere in
Southeast Asia.
Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh's line of questioning had at times
also focused on trying to uncover whether Yu herself was merely taking
orders from Low in arranging the massive monetary flows in and out of
Najib's three AmBank current accounts, which are central to the former
premier's seven charges involving abuse of power, corruption, and money
laundering.
-Mkini
Mine coins - make money: http://bit.ly/money_crypto
Mine coins - make money: http://bit.ly/money_crypto
The criminal trial of
former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged
misappropriation of funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd enters its 47th
day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
Summary of Najib’s SRC RM42 million case
Najib is facing 7 charges relating to RM42m involving SRC International,
a former 1MDB subsidiary.
1 abuse of power charge
3 criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges
3 money laundering charges
Click to view information on judge, prosecution and defence team
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's
account
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from
bouncing
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn
account
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
Thank you for following Malaysiakini's live report
6.10pm - Thank you for following our live report today.
Court adjourns for the day
5pm - Proceedings adjourn for the day and will continue on Monday at
2pm.
Jho Low involved in RM105m transfer from SRC International to Putra
Perdana Construction
4.40pm - Wanted businessperson Jho Low queried former AmBank
relationship manager Joanna Yu on Bank Negara approval, prior to the
transfer of RM105 million from SRC International to Putra Perdana
Construction (PPC) on July 14, 2014.
The 54th witness Yu agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh on the message
queries by Jho Low to her prior to the transfer.
Harvinderjit: RM105 million (transferred) on July 14 (2014). But on July
9, Jho Low messaged you on whether this needed Bank Negara approval
(among others). That line of inquiry, before the RM105 million was
transferred from SRC to PPC, you received queries from Jho Low intending
to take RM105 million from SRC and convert into US dollars and send
out?
Yu: Yes.
She also agrees that based on chat logs, Jho Low had also asked her
whether splitting the money into two portions would avoid the need to
report to Bank Negara.
Jho Low used term 'Eagle 27' for RM27m transferred into Najib's account
3.57pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that
fugitive financier Jho Low used the term "Eagle 27" to refer to a
transfer of RM27 million from SRC International and finally to Najib
Abdul Razak's AmBank current account ending with the number 880.
Sketch of Najib in the dock listening to the cross-examination of
witness Joanna Yu
She agrees to this following a question by defence lawyer Harvinderjit
Singh in regard to an RM27 million transfer from Permai Binaraya to
Najib's 880 account on July 8, 2014.
Harvinderjit was referring to a chat log of her messages with Jho Low on
that date regarding the transfer.
Harvinderjit: Eagle 27, (stands) for RM27 million transferred from
Permai Binaraya to the 880 account?
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit: The RM27 million was from Permai Binaraya's Maybank
account to the 880 account, and that originated from Putra Perdana
Construction, which itself originated from the RM35 million that Terence
Geh took out of SRC on July 8, 2014?
Yu: Yes.
RM10m transferred to account to prevent existing cheques from bouncing
3.30pm - Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees that Jho
Low arranged an RM10 million transfer from Ihsan Perdana to Najib's
AmBank account to prevent previously issued cheques from bouncing.
The 54th witness agrees with lawyer Harvinderjit Singh that the movement
of funds was not to ensure future cheques would not bounce.
Harvinderjit: The money was to regularise (Najib’s account ending with
the number 880) for cheques already issued, including the (RM3.5
million) cheque to (law firm) Hafarizam (Wan & Aisha Mubarak)?
Yu: That and several others that came after.
Harvinderjit: The money was not to clear future cheques but cheques
already issued?
Yu: Yes.
The court previously heard that several cheques were made out from
Najib's current account, among them a cheque of RM3.5 million to the law
firm issued on Jan 21, 2015.
Jho Low 'calling the shots' in RM10m transfer to Najib account - Yu
3.05pm - Wanted fugitive Jho Low was "calling the shots" in the transfer
of RM10 million from SRC International's subsidiary Gandingan Mentari
to Ihsan Perdana, in order to go into Najib's AmBank account ending with
the number 880 in Feb 2015.
Sketch of Joanna Yu answering questions in court
Former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu agrees with lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh that Jho Low and others such as Terence Geh and Ung
Su Ling made the arrangement.
Harvinderjit: What we can reflect, Jho Low was calling the shots, with
Ung Su Ling working in tandem. They arrange RM10 million out of
Gandingan Mentari and put in Ihsan Perdana, to transfer to the 880
account?
Yu: Yes.
Ung is former Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia CEO while Geh is former 1MDB
executive finance director.
1MDB owned SRC International at one point.
Yu was then also AmBank’s relationship manager for 1MDB-related
accounts.
Proceedings resume
2.40pm - Proceedings resume after lunch break.
Court breaks for lunch
1.08pm - Proceedings break for lunch, and will resume at 2.30pm.
Jho Low scrambled to transfer funds when told about overdrawn account
12.30pm - Joanna Yu agrees that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho
(photo) was among those who scrambled to arrange for funds to be
transferred into Najib Abdul Razak's bank account whenever she told them
it was overdrawn.
The former AmBank customer relationship manager says this to lawyer
Harvinderjit Singh this during cross-examination.
Harvinderjit: You told them, then Low and his cohorts scramble. The
starting point is you telling Low that the account was overdrawn.
Yu: Yes.
Harvinderjit is referring to chat logs of her conversation with Low on
Feb 5, 2015, on an attempt to transfer money into Najib's AmBank account
ending 880 as it was overdrawn.
These chat logs purportedly show Low's involvement in getting RM5
million transferred from SRC International to Gandingan Mentari, then to
Ihsan Perdana before ending up in the 880 account.
Trial will start at 2pm on Monday
11.31am - Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allows
an application from the prosecution to start proceedings at 2pm rather
than 9am on Monday.
On that day, the Court of Appeal will hear the prosecution's appeal
against Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah's
insistence on proceeding with Najib's RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial on Aug
19.
Sequerah had declined to postpone the 1MDB trial, despite the high
probability that the present case will not be completed by that date.
Defence to file application to strike out bid for Najib to apologise
11.30am - Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah says an
application will be filed on Monday to strike out the prosecution's bid
to compel Najib Abdul Razak to apologise over two Facebook posts deemed
sub judice.
Yu turned down Jho Low's offer to join SRC International
10.23am - Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu
testifies that she and her team refused an offer from Low Taek Jho to
work at SRC International.
She tells lawyer Harvinderjit Singh (photo) this when he refers to a
chat log between her and the fugitive businessperson dated Nov 24, 2013.
According to the log, Low asked whether Yu knew any good CFOs for SRC
International.
At one point, Low asks "Can I hire Daniel Lee too?"
Harvinderjit asks Yu what this meant.
Yu: I think he wanted to hire all of us (Yu, her team member Lee among
others), and we said no.
Harvinderjit: That is a very lucrative, RM60,000 (salary).
Yu: We did not want to work with them.
Witness: Jho Low referred to as the 'fatty one'
10.14am - Wanted businessperson Low Taek Jho was referred to as the
"fatty one" by 1MDB executive finance director Terence Geh.
Former AmBank customer relationship manager Joanna Yu testifies that Geh
referred to Low as such during a conversation with Geh on Nov 7, 2013.
Jho Low may have control over SRC International banking instructions
10.05am - The court hears from former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu that 1MDB-linked businessperson Low Taek Jho may have
control over SRC International's banking transactions.
In her testimony under cross-examination by the defence, Yu agrees to a
suggestion that former SRC International director Terence Geh was a
subordinate to Low.
Lawyer says witness ‘acting ignorant, evasive'
9.34am - "She is not explaining, acting ignorant, evasive," says defence
lawyer Harvinderjit Singh during his cross-examination of former AmBank
customer relationship manager Joanna Yu.
Harvinderjit's line of questioning on Yu over AmBank documents seized by
MACC had elicited objection from deputy public prosecutor V Sithambaram
(photo).
"Let her finish, she is trying to explain," Sithambaram says.
Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali then requests
that the witness be allowed to answer.
Najib enters the dock
9.13am - Najib enters the dock as proceedings begin.
8.59am - Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak enters the court and
takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Also seen in court awaiting the beginning of proceedings are
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas and DPPs, as well as Najib's defence
counsel Harvinderjit Singh and other defence lawyers.
Today will mark the sixth day that former AmBank customer relationship
manager Joanna Yu will take the stand to be cross-examined by Najib
Abdul Razak’s defence team.
As the former prime minister’s RM42 million SRC International trial
before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali enters its
47th day, the 54th witness is set to face further questioning over her
dealings with fugitive financier Low Taek Jho.
Since the defence began questioning Yu on July 23, their strategy
appears to be an attempt to unravel the role purportedly played by
wanted businessperson Low in directing Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil – former
SRC International CEO and mandate holder for Najib’s accounts – to
transfer millions of ringgit in and out of the accused’s accounts.
Like Low, the whereabouts of 48-year-old Nik Faisal is unknown.
According to the police, Nik Faisal is “in hiding” somewhere in
Southeast Asia.
Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh's line of questioning had at times
also focused on trying to uncover whether Yu herself was merely taking
orders from Low in arranging the massive monetary flows in and out of
Najib's three AmBank current accounts, which are central to the former
premier's seven charges involving abuse of power, corruption, and money
laundering.
-Mkini
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