KUALA LUMPUR: Millions of ringgit, which flowed into Datuk Seri Najib Razak's Ambank account, had nothing to do with the Arabs but were instead transacted by fugitive financier Jho Low's associates.
This was revealed at the High Court this morning, following a question directed to be asked by the late lead prosecutor in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram.
Sri Ram helmed the prosecution until his passing last month.
Deputy public prosecutor, Ahmad Akram Gharib - who has since taken over Sri Ram's role, had the courtroom gripped when he said that he wanted to pose a question which Sri Ram had told him to ask.
Akram was questioning Joanna Yu Gin Pin, who was Najib's former relationship manager at Ambank, about millions of ringgit worth of over-the-counter (OTC) deposits into Najib's account.
Yu said the deposits were made by three of Low's associates, Kee Kok Thiam, Josey, and Tan Vern Tact.
She said 1MDB's former chief investment officer, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, who was also the account's mandate holder, was also aware of the transactions.
Akram: The late Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram asked me to ask this question before his passing... Are they Arab?
Yu: As far as I know, they are Malaysians.
Akram: Do you know them personally?
Yu: Yes. Kee, Josey and Tan had worked with Low and also our clients.
Akram: Did the account holder or the mandate holder asked about these transactions (OTC)?
Yu: No. Nik Faisal said to not let the cheque bounce as Kee would deposit the money.
Meanwhile, Yu said she followed all of Low's instructions as she had no doubt that the rogue financier was Najib' proxy.
"I believed that Low was Najib's adviser as I had seen him (Low) at the 1MDB office... I had no doubt that Low was representing Najib.
"When he said a cheque would be written, a cheque was written... when he spoke about incoming funds, there were incoming funds," she said, adding that she did not receive any benefit from her relationship with Low.
Earlier, Yu admitted that she did not consult Najib in handling his account and dealt with Low instead.
Yu said she had no doubt that the fugitive businessman was in contact with the account holder as he was the one who came and opened Najib's account at the bank.
Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.
The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Feb 27.