Former 1MDB chief financial officer testified that he followed Low Taek Jho as Najib Abdul Razak was the "ultimate power" over the sovereign wealth fund.
Azmi Tahir delivered this testimony during today’s RM2.28 billion corruption trial against the former prime minister before the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
While reading out from a 127-page witness statement, the 12th prosecution witness claimed that when he was hired as 1MDB’s CFO in 2012, Najib’s then-chief private secretary Azlin Alias introduced him to Jho Low. He claimed Azlin introduced Low as Najib’s 1MDB advisor.
Azmi claimed that when he met Low at KLCC around June 2012, the business person told the witness that all directives from him (Low) and Azlin were the mandates from Najib, and therefore must be abided by.
The witness claimed that he was also told by Azlin later that Low is an advisor or close person to Najib and that Low would provide information or directives that I needed to carry out as it came from the then prime minister.
Azmi claimed that during his tenure as CFO with 1MDB, Low made behind-the-scene arrangements on the orders and “blessing” of Najib, whereby Low and Azlin made sure only certain trusted officers followed them in a work-in-silo system.
“These directives I received from them in the form of mandate from Najib as prime minister.
“Therefore the officers in the layered system must abide by Low’s directives as each directive from him is an order from Najib and in line with Article 117 of 1MDB’s memorandum and articles of association (M&A) because each important decision needed to be under the order and approval of the prime minister.
“Najib is the person having ultimate power in making any decisions especially involving investment, financial decision and national interest,” Azmi said.
However, defence counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed raised multiple objections against several parts of the witness’ testimony, on grounds of hearsay.
Azmi’s testimony today is similar to one delivered by ninth prosecution witness and former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, who testified in 2019 that Najib was the “ultimate power” behind the sovereign wealth fund.
Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB’s funds.
He was also the finance minister and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers. 1MDB is fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).
[More to follow] - Mkini
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