KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho often “name-dropped” famous and powerful personalities, including Queen Rania of Jordan, during meetings, a former bank employee testified before the High Court.
Joanna Yu, formerly an AmBank relationship manager for Datuk Seri Najib Razak, said that Low, better known as Jho Low, would not directly name-drop to her, but he would mention the names while talking to other people in meetings, such as former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi.
Yu said this during a cross-examination by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in Najib’s 1MDB trial involving RM2.28bil yesterday.
The prosecution witness was asked if Low was the type of person who would sell himself “dishonestly”, to which Yu agreed.
Muhammad Shafee: Did he tell you that he was very close to many leaders of the Middle Eastern countries?
Yu: He didn’t tell me that. He would say he was meeting who and who.
Yu also said that Low would say he had met with the Bank Negara governor or the prime minister.
According to Yu, she had heard Low mentioning Queen Rania of Jordan.
“I (also) remember (Saudi Arabia royalty) Prince Turki and (Petrosaudi International Ltd director) Tarek Obaid,” Yu said.
At one point, the proceedings became tense.
The lawyer was questioning Yu about the appointment of former 1MDB chief investment officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil as Najib’s bank account mandate holder and the transactions involved.
Muhammad Shafee told Yu that she was not answering his questions directly.
Najib, 69, is on trial for 25 charges in total – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefit to the tune of RM2.28bil, and 21 for money laundering.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today.
