Lawyers: Pressure mounts on Jho Low, dad after Interpol red notice

However, they said attempts to bring them to face trial could be frustrated if foreign nation concerned refuses to co-operate.

Charges were filed against Jho Low and his father in their absence at the Sessions Court registry in Putrajaya yesterday. (Bloomberg pic)

PETALING JAYA: Pressure will mount on elusive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, and his father as their movements will be restricted following the request by Malaysian police to Interpol to issue a red notice to arrest them, lawyers said.

SN Nair.

They said both should be handed over to Malaysian police if law enforcement agencies outside Malaysia were prepared to hunt them if they are hiding in an Interpol-member country.

However, they said any attempt to bring them to face trial could be frustrated if the foreign nation concerned refused to co-operate.

Lawyer SN Nair said the warrant of arrest obtained by police against Jho Low and his father, Low Hock Peng, yesterday had facilitated Interpol to issue the notice.

“Interpol member countries should look for the father and son as there is a warrant of arrest issued against them now,” he said.

Nair said the warrant of arrest obtained against Jho Low and his father was a significant development that the long arm of the law was catching up with the two.

The lawyer said this in response to police registering criminal charges against Jho Low and his father with embezzling funds allegedly stolen from state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

Jho Low is scheduled to face eight charges under the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.

Three charges were for receiving money and the remaining five were for transferring the cash.

The father faces one charge of transferring US$56 million to his son.

The charges were filed against the two in their absence at the Sessions Court registry in Putrajaya yesterday.

Following this, police have also obtained warrants of arrest against the two from the court.

N Sivananthan.

Lawyer N Sivananthan said the two men could now be extradited if caught in a foreign jurisdiction.

“Their movements will be restricted as police in other jurisdictions will be put on alert and will arrest the two if they are hiding in their country,” he said.

He said Jho Low and his father would also be careful when travelling to another country as they could be arrested upon landing due to the red notice.

However, Sivananthan said their arrest could be an uphill task if the Interpol member country refused to execute the warrant of arrest.

“If that is the case, the father and son could continue to live there for as long as they wish,” he added.

According to media reports, the two were currently believed to be in either China or Abu Dhabi.

Council of Eminent Persons chairman Daim Zainuddin said the government was aware of the whereabouts of Jho Low.

“We know his whereabouts. The last time he was in Macau.

“I think the government knows where he is,” he said earlier this week at a press conference to announce that the CEP had completed its 100-day mandate. - FMT