Jho Low wanted Arab letters to be treated as confidential - Ex-banker

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today was told that the fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low had wanted four letters from a Saudi Arabian prince purportedly promising donations to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to be kept away from the public.

Joanna Yu Ging Ping, 51, a former relationship manager at AmBank confirmed the matter when she was shown a transcript of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) messages dated June 23, 2014, by senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram at the former premier's corruption and money laundering trial involving RM2.3 billion belonging to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).

Based on the conversation, Jho Low had purportedly told her that Najib had instructed that the "gift letters" from Prince Faisal Turki Al Saud were not to be made public.

When asked by Sri Ram what she understood from the message, Yu answered that the letters were to confirm that the funds coming into Najib's account were the result of the alleged Arab donations.

Sri Ram: What was the purpose of the messages?

Yu: That it was supposed to be treated as confidential.

During today's proceedings, Yu also confirmed that whenever Najib's bank account was overdrawn in funds, she would inform either Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil (mandate holder) or Jho Low as Najib's cheques would bounce if there was no money in the account.

She said an individual known as Kee Kok Thiam would then deposit cash into Najib's account, sometimes amounting to hundreds of thousands, just to ensure that the cheques do not bounce.

When asked if the bank would dishonour the cheques in such a situation, Yu said:

"It's a prime minister's account, so we would chase for funds...so that the cheques do not bounce."

She also testified that Najib is the sole signatory for the cheques from his account and that Nik Faisal does not have the authority to issue the cheques on Najib's behalf.

Najib, 69, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion belonging to 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.

-- BERNAMA