Detain Jho Low? IGP says he'll wait for courts' decision

To catch or not to catch Jho Low? That's a question that inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar will leave for the courts to decide.

"It's ok. We will wait for the courts’ decision later," Khalid said.

He was commenting on an application for judicial review filed yesterday by Selangor Menteri Besar Azmin Ali to compel Khalid to locate and arrest Low.

Azmin wants the financier, whose real name is Low Taek Jho, to be brought to court to face criminal charges over the 1MDB scandal.

He would have Low charged under Section 409 and 420 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust and cheating respectively.

Previously, it was reported that Azmin had sent a letter of demand to Khalid but the latter told the menteri besar to take the matter to court if he wanted to.

In his supporting affidavit, Azmin alleged Jho Low had committed several offences including criminal breach of trust and cheating involving 1MDB, a company wholly owned by the Malaysian government and directed to create investment and development projects for the economic benefit of the Malaysian people.

He said at all material times 1MDB was the beneficial owner of US$3.657 billion, of which US$1.367 billion was meant to be transferred to a company called Aabar Dubai.

However, he added in 2012, Jho Low and his associates transferred the amount to Aabar BVI (British Virgin Islands) which has nothing to do with Aabar Dubai.

The PKR deputy president said that at the time of the transfer, it was believed that Jho Low had received the consent of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to dispose of the monies.

Alternatively, Azmin pleaded that Jho Low had dishonestly induced the 1MDB board to pay Aabar BVI a sum of US$1.367 billion, causing the members of the board to believe that Aabar of Dubai and Aabar BVI were one of the same entity. - Mkini