PUTRAJAYA: The authorities remain unaware of the whereabouts of former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) executive director of business development Casey Tang Keng Chee, who allegedly diverted US$1bil in 1MDB funds to third parties, the High Court here heard.
The missing funds were originally meant to be deposited into the 1MDB-PSI joint venture account. However, only US$300mil was transferred, while the remaining US$700mil was diverted to Good Star Limited, a company owned by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low.
R. Rajagopal, the former head of Bukit Aman’s Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID), said this in his testimony as the 13th defence witness in former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s trial for the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3bil in 1MDB funds.
He told the court on Tuesday (March 11) he had recorded Tang’s statement in June 2016 at the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok.
Tang, an associate of Jho Low, was accompanied by his lawyer Selva Mookiah during the session, Rajagopal added.
During cross-examination by Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Rajagopal confirmed that neither the police nor the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) had been able to track down Tang for the trial.
"We have made efforts to locate Tang. A red notice was issued against him in 2018 and 2019, but we have still been unable to apprehend him,” Rajagopal told the court.
On Oct 30, Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Najib, 71, faces 25 charges, including four counts of abusing his position to accept RM2.3bil in bribes from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The hearing continues on Wednesday (March 12). – Bernama
