Only Jho Low can say why SRC funds went into Najib’s accounts, appeals court told

The Court of Appeal was told today that only fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, could answer why funds from SRC International Sdn Bhd ended up in Najib Razak’s bank accounts.

The former prime minister’s counsel, Harvinderjit Singh, said this when questioned by judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil on why millions of money was transferred into Najib’s accounts.

Karim: Why was the RM5 million and RM27 million deposited into Najib’s accounts?

Harvinderjit: Only Jho Low could answer that. But we can tell you that the RM27 million was put into Najib’s account because (former AmBank relationship manager) Joana Yu Ging Ping said the account balance was low.

Karim, who presided over the appeal with Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, also questioned Harvinderjit over Jho Low’s involvement in SRC International as the businessman had not held any post in the company at that time.

Karim: Jho Low (was) not an officer and (had) nothing to do with SRC. When did Jho Low get involved? But you are saying that Jho Low gave instructions to Joana Yu, she was in communication with Jho Low. Suddenly, Jho Low appeared?

Harvinderjit: The reason Jho Low appeared was because of the cheque. Jho Low could transfer money out of SRC through former SRC director Terence Geh.

Karim: Are you saying that the late Azlin Alias (Najib’s former principal private secretary) had nothing to do with that? Everything was (by) Jho Low?

Harvinderjit: Yes.

Azlin died in a helicopter crash in April, 2015.

Harvinderjet also submitted that Jho Low was involved in the convoluted monetary trail involving the accounts of SRC International, Gandingan Mentari Sdn Bhd, Ihsan Perdana Sdn Bhd (IPSB) and Najib.

The lawyer said that Jho Low and several others were involved in the monetary transfers involving Najib’s accounts, and that the former prime minister had no knowledge of them.

“Why would the prime minister knowingly take money from a government-linked company and put it in his accounts?” asked the lawyer.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court on July 28 last year sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position involving RM42 million in SRC International funds.

The hearing of the appeal continues.