Jho Low wrote letter on behalf of TIA in his bedroom, court hears

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho wrote a letter on behalf of the Terengganu Investment Authority Bhd (TIA) in his bedroom, the High Court heard.

Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, 49, testified that he and Low, or better known as Jho Low, wrote the letter at Low's apartment in Jalan Kia Peng here.

"At one point he would be typing and then I would be typing. We took turns," he said during an examination-in-chief conducted by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram here on Tuesday (Sept 24).

Sri Ram had referred the witness to a letter from TIA dated June 22,2009 and addressed to the prime minister and the finance minister.

The ninth witness in the 1MDB trial added that as they went through the content, Low would indicate which parts in the letter that Datuk Seri Najib Razak would have liked.

"Low was telling me this is the sort of thing that was discussed and expected by the recipient (Najib)," he added.

Najib, 66, faces 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.3bil and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.

He faces imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

The hearing continues Wednesday (Sept 25) before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.