Jho Low asked witness to lie about RM139mil bank drafts issued by SRC

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): Infamous fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, has requested former Ambank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping to lie for the purpose of cashing out three bank drafts, 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 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 draft 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 Razak's trial here on Thursday (Aug 1). 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, he may be asking us to confirm the story.

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. - Bernama