Ambank manager told to delete logs

KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, had asked former AmBank Bhd relationship manager Joanna Yu to delete the chat logs between them, the High Court heard yesterday.

Speaking as a witness at the corruption and money laundering trial of former premier Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Yu confirmed that Low had asked her to clear her BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) chat logs.

She said this after defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh read out a transcript of a chat between Yu and Low dated March 3, 2015, during cross examination.

Yu, however, said she did not comply with Low’s instructions.

“I never did because I don’t know how to,” she told the court.

The court also heard that Low insisted that bank statements from Najib’s account at AmBank should not be sent to his Taman Duta residence.

When asked by Harvinderjit, Yu agreed that Low wrote: “No, no, do not send statements to Najib’s house.”

“Super sensitive”, Low’s e-mail – which was sent sometime in 2011 – also said.

She said Low said this in response to her request for the contact details of Najib’s personal assistant.

Harvinderjit: (He also wrote) ‘credit card statement (must) never go to the house’?

Yu: They always collected (the statements).

Harvinderjit: Jho (Low) insisted?

Yu: Yes, and the mandate holder too. (The mandate holder at that time was former SRC International chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, the court had heard before this.)

Yu also told the court that Low and Nik Faisal had told her not to list Najib’s name on the forms whenever funds were put into his account.

“Yes, we were told we cannot list Najib’s name,” she said.

Harvinderjit: Did Jho tell you at that time that the reason for the account was that Najib was expecting donations from Saudi Arabia?

Yu: He briefly mentioned that there was some inward transfer that Najib was expecting, but I do not remember whether he mentioned donations or not.

Harvinderjit: I suggest to you that the purpose of the account was for Najib to receive donations for his contribution to Islamic activities?

Yu: I only found out later when I saw the letter.

Yu had earlier told the court that it was Low, who informed her that Najib wanted to open an account with Ambank.

This took place around Jan 13, 2011, Yu confirmed.

The trial was adjourned earlier as Harvinderjit requested time to study a new set of documents that the prosecution had shared with the defence team yesterday.

Proceedings continue before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali on Monday.

Najib, 66, faces three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International funds, amoun­ting to RM42mil.

Separately, Bernama reported that Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and their daughter have filed separate notices of motion to inspect and obtain particulars on properties, including 315 bags of various brands and cash in various currencies, that were seized by the anti-graft body.

Lawyer Syahirah Hanapiah, representing Najib, and Azrul Zulkifli Stork, representing Rosmah and her daughter, Nooryana Najwa Mohd Najib, told reporters this after the case management before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

The court fixed Oct 14 to hear the applications.

Najib filed the notice on July 18, while the notice by Rosmah and Nooryana Najwa was made the following day.- Star