Defence counsel: Only Jho Low can answer

PUTRAJAYA: The notorious Low Taek Jho @ Jho Low holds the answers to many questions on things that happened in SRC International Sdn Bhd, which have led to Datuk Seri Najib Razak facing a lengthy jail term and a mind-blowing RM210 million fine, the Court of Appeal heard yesterday.

The former prime minister’s lawyer submitted that Jho Low manipulated things in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-linked company despite not holding any position in it.

Harvinderjit Singh, who is in the defence team led by senior counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, also argued that Jho Low was the main culprit behind the movement of funds into Najib’s accounts.

However, this prompted judge Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil to ask why Jho Low had used Najib’s account to pump the money into and not anybody else’s.

“The thrust of your defence is that Jho Low manipulated everything.

“How is it possible for someone who was not at all connected to SRC to commandeer everything?

“Why did Jho Low put all the money in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s account?” Karim asked after Jho Low’s name was repeatedly mentioned as the person who had manipulated the flow of millions in and out of SRC’s account into Najib’s.

Harvinderjit responded by saying: “That is a good question .... but, only Jho Low can answer that.”

He added that Jho Low had manipulated Najib’s accounts by using people like SRC chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Yayasan Rakyat 1Malaysia chief executive Ung Su Ling and others like SRC executive Terence Geh and Ambank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping.

Najib is appealing against his 12 years’ jail sentence and RM210 million fine after he was found guilty of abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving RM42 million of SRC funds.

The Pekan MP has appealed against the sentence and conviction, and a three-member bench is hearing the 69-year-old’s bid to overturn the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision.

Karim is heading the bench, which also includes judges Datuk Has Zanah Mehat and Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.

The prosecution team is headed by Datuk V. Sithambaram. The hearing continues.