Jho Low instructed Najib's aides to open overseas accounts for political funds, court hears

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low had assured two top officers at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) that Datuk Seri Najib Razak would take care of everything in his bid to convince them to open overseas bank accounts allegedly for political funds, the High Court heard today.

Key witness Datuk Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin, 43, who was formerly the head of the economic policy division in the PMO said he and his boss, the late Datuk Azlin Alias, who was Najib’s principal special officer, felt uncomfortable with the instruction but proceeded nevertheless.

“I did not want to get involved, but Jho Low said to have faith in him. He added ‘boss (Najib) will take care’ should anything happen,” he added.

“He said Najib had given his ‘blessing’ and ordered us to open these accounts ‘as standby’.

“He added he would manage the accounts entirely.

“We were very worried that the accounts might be used for Najib's political funds in the 13th General Election.”

Amhari who was also one of Najib’s special officers said despite having reservations, both of them (Amhari and Azlin) abided and opened the accounts at BSI Bank in Singapore.

He said Jho Low had given his word that Najib would protect them if any issue cropped up and that all documentations would be done in a proper manner.

“I decided to follow my boss' (Azlin) decision to open the account, as he knew better.

“We were also worried for our safety if we did not follow Jho Low’s instruction,” he said, adding that Low had managed all the processes and sent both of them to Singapore to open the accounts.

“My boss told me to ‘just play along’. However, he also said not to use the money inside the accounts as they did not belong to them.

“Furthermore, Jho Low was the one who had total control of the accounts,” he added.

Amhari said Jho Low, with the help of BSI Bank’s officer Yvonne Seah and her colleague had manipulated him and Azlin.

He said when Azlin died on April 4, 2015 in a helicopter crash, he was left alone to worry about the account which was under Low’s control.

“I was so stressed, and things escalated in early 2016 when I received a call from the bank informing me that I had more than US$800,000 bank balance.

“I was so shocked because I did not have any knowledge about it.

“The bank called me again and told me to close the BSI Bank account, and that I needed to transfer the money to another bank,” he said.

Amhari said he contacted Low about the matter, and was told to open another overseas account in Shanghai, China.

He added Low was with him during the process (to open the bank account), but the application was rejected.

“Low then instructed me to go to Bangkok to open another account at Kasikorn Bank and it was accepted within a month.

“I sent a letter to BSI Bank via my hotel’s fax machine in Bangkok informing them about the latest update.

“However, they told me the fund transfer failed and they would contact me for further instructions.

“I told Low about this and he said he would take care of it,” he added.

Amhari said the fund transfer to Kasikorn Bank was done as he was told to close the BSI Bank account.

“I never withdrew money from this account for my personal gain.

“Low was the one who had total control of this account. I was also afraid to ask Najib about it,” he added.

Proceedings before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues this afternoon.

Najib is facing four charges of having used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.

The former finance minister is alleged to have committed gratification offences at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad, at No.55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon here between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.

For the money laundering charges, Najib is alleged to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.