1MDB trial: I knew Jho Low as a rich man, not a fraudster, Loo testifies

KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) general counsel Jasmine Loo did not regard Jho Low as a fraud because of his wealthy status, the High Court here heard.

Loo, 50, said Low was already a millionaire prior to his involvement with 1MDB, so she did not think he could be someone who would siphon money out of the sovereign wealth fund.

According to her, Low owned several businesses and had dealings with companies owned by the Arabs.

Loo, who was under cross-examination by lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1MDB trial, was asked why she did not question the US$9mil that was transferred into her two Swiss bank accounts between 2012 and 2013.

ALSO READ: 1MDB trial: I didn't make any deals to get charges dropped, Jasmine Loo tells court

"I didn't think he was doing this (siphoning 1MDB's funds) as he was already making millions. I believe what I believe," she said on Friday (March 15).

The 50th prosecution witness also disagreed with a suggestion by Muhammad Shafee that as a person within the fund, she never realised that the money Low spent lavishly came from 1MDB.

"I do not agree. I did my job (as general counsel) and I was not in charge of finance. I didn't have visibility (of the money going in and out of 1MDB).

"I thought they were all genuine transactions," she said.

Muhammad Shafee also suggested that Low was "a con man and a crook of the highest order" from whom Loo had no issues taking instructions.

"In hindsight, perhaps, but I don't know whether some of the things he (Low) said were true," Loo replied.

ALSO READ: Loo says Jho Low went from friend to foe

Muhammad Shafee: Is there any character of Jho Low in the context of this trial that has redemptive value?

Loo: Perhaps not. But we cannot generalise his character that way.

Muhammad Shafee: Why not? My client's (Najib) character was generalised and his liberty is at stake. Jho Low's liberty is not. He could be on a beach somewhere.

Najib, 70, 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 involving the same amount of money.

The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on April 1.