PUTRAJAYA: The High Court was told on Thursday (April 10) that an associate of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low deposited cash into Datuk Seri Najib Razak's accounts between 2014 and 2015.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigating officer Raywel Anduroh acknowledged the matter, agreeing with portions of the late Kee Kok Thiam’s statement read out by deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan.
Raywel said that in 2023, he recorded a statement from Kok Thiam, with the latter admitting that he had deposited cash into Najib's accounts as instructed by Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, who was authorised to manage the accounts.
Raywel added that Kok Thiam told MACC he was worried after the Pakatan Harapan government won the 2018 general election.
"He told us that he found out Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad became the prime minister. He was worried that Datuk Seri Najib might be investigated.
"Kok Thiam also said that Jho Low told him and others not to return to Malaysia and to watch how the political situation would unfold," said the witness.
Raywel further stated that Jho Low had claimed that if Kok Thiam returned, he would be under scrutiny for the 2014 and 2015 cash deposits.
The witness confirmed that Kok Thiam died on May 29, 2023, shortly after he returned to Malaysia.
On Oct 30 last year, Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to enter his defence after determining that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.
Najib, 71, is currently defending himself against four charges of using his position at the time to receive bribes totaling RM2.3bil from 1MDB funds, as well as 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial is set to resume next Tuesday (April 15).- Bernama
