KUALA LUMPUR: Former special officer to Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak (pix), Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, reiterated at the High Court here that he took orders from the former prime minister and not from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.
The eighth prosecution witness, Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, 43, also said meetings between Najib and Jho Low were held outside the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and after Jho Low fled the country in 2015, the two communicated through the electronic medium.
During Najib’s official visits to New York and London, Jho Low would meet the former prime minister in a hotel room, he said.
The key witness said this during re-examination by lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram on the 10th day of the former premier’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s trial (1MDB).
Sri Ram: During the cross-examination, it was put to you that you were indebted to Jho Low, that you were his accomplice, and that you misled the Prime Minister and you disagreed. Can you explain to court why?
Amhari Efendi : I think the fact that it was said that I had known and worked with Jho Low during the EPU (Economic Planning Unit) times, is wrong.
Sri Ram : Slowly, this is very important for my case. You have to go very slow.
Amhari Efendi : Over and over again, I worked for Datuk Seri Najib, I took orders from the Prime Minister, not from Jho Low.
Sri Ram: But my learned friend (the defence) put to you that you were taking orders from Jho Low? But you said No. Can you explain?
Amhari said that he concluded from previous instances where the former prime minister had always agreed with Jho Low’s suggestions, that whatever Jho Low said was from Najib.
Amhari Efendi: Sometimes, when I did check with him (Najib), after the death of Datuk Azlin Alias, I found that he would definitely agree with Jho Low.
On Najib’s official visits to New York and London, the witness maintained his stand that Jho Low was seen most of the time they were there.
Amhari Efendi : Most of the time he was around when Datuk Seri Najib was in New York or London. He was not with the Prime Minister, but he will be around.
Najib, 66, is facing four charges of abusing his position to corruptly obtain RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering related to the money.
The Pekan MP allegedly committed the four offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan branch, Bukit Ceylon here between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014, and the 21 charges, between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013, at the same place.
The trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Tuesday. — Bernama
