SHAFEE TALKS BIG – ‘JHO LOW? I HOPE HE TURNS UP – THAT WAY YOU CAN FIND OUT THE TRUTH’: BUT IF 1MDB LINCHPIN REALLY APPEARS, WOULD NAJIB & HIS LAWYER BE THE FIRST TO FAINT IN COURT?

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak’s lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is hoping that fugitive businessperson Jho Low will turn up for the case involving his client.

Responding to a question, he said Low, as a witness, would be able to provide meaning and context to the “millions of documents”.

“I hope he turns up because (that way) you can find out the truth.

“There are a lot of documents, millions of documents, but you don’t have a human being to give evidence to these documents, to provide meaning and context.

“If Low were here (in Malaysia), you can’t avoid having him as a witness. I would like to cross-examine (him),” he told reporters outside the Kuala Lumpur court complex this afternoon.

In August, Low and his father, Low Hock Peng, were charged in absentia in Malaysia over money allegedly stolen from 1MDB.

Previously, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad had complained that it was difficult for the authorities to nab Low despite receiving information regarding his whereabouts.

“He (Low) seems to have the capacity to learn ahead of what we are going to do. He has the capacity to learn ahead about what action we might take and he disappears.

“We are told he is in China among other places. We are also told he is in Bangkok,” he had said.

Meanwhile, Billion Dollar Whale author Tom Wright claimed that his sources have informed him that Low is attempting to cut a deal with Putrajaya.

He claimed the fugitive businessperson had offered to help up set up meetings for Mahathir when he was in New York to attend the UN general assembly as well to retrieve assets related to 1MDB.

However, Mahathir’s aide Endie Shazlie denied that Jho Low had contacted them.

Tom Wright had co-authored The Billion Dollar Whalewith fellow Wall Street Journal journalist Bradley Hope. The book details the 1MDB scandal and Low’s exploits.

Prosecution wants Najib’s case transferred to Putrajaya

The prosecutor for former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering cases wants the trial to be heard at the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya.

Senior lawyer and appointed prosecutor Sulaiman Abdullah told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur that it is for security reasons and to give the public better access to the trial as the Putrajaya courts are bigger.

Sulaiman told Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the prosecution will write to Chief Judge of Malaya Justice Zaharah Ibrahim for this purpose.

Speaking to reporters later, Sulaiman said if the court allows the trial to be held there, it would be easier as most of the (prosecution) witnesses are in Putrajaya and the documents are there.

“Security can be properly managed and we can give the public greater access as the court is bigger,” he said.

– M’kini