Court allows defence request for details of conversation with Jho Low

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KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court yesterday allowed an application for an investigation officer to produce evidence detailing the conversation between a bank manager and businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.

The defence team of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is on trial, had applied for the officer, Ahmad Farhan Sharifuddin, to produce the documents pertaining to the communication between Ambank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping and Jho Low.

Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali ruled that the related items were relevant to the defence team and that the witness, Ahmad Farhan, has to produce the documents.

Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering over SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million.

In his testimony, Ahmad Farhan said he obtained the evidence from Joanna Yu when he went to Ambank Jalan Raja Chulan on July 6, 2015, during a raid by three Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) teams. Ahmad Farhan had issued the instruction for the raid.

Justice Mohd Nazlan said Najib’s lawyers need the emails and Blackberry phone conversations that Ahmad Farhan had seized from Joanna Yu.

Earlier, when cross-examined by Najib’s counsel Harvinderjit Singh, Ahmad Farhan said he had the items received from Joanna Yu in his custody.

Harvinderjit Singh: Can you go back and check if the items are still in your custody?

Ahmad Farhan: Yes I have to check.

Harvinderjit Singh informed the court that the defence needs the excerpts of the communication which he said may contain conversations between Joanna Yu and Jho Low as well as several individuals linked to the case.

Besides Jho Low, the counsel also mentioned the names of Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, Jerome Lee Tak Loong, Terrence Geh Choh Heng, Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, Shahrol Azral Ibrahim, Mohammed Azhar Osman Khairuddin, Tan Sri Ismee Ismail and See Yoke Peng.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas objected and said the whole discussion only began when the witness said the seized items are under his custody.

Justice Mohd Nazlan allowed Ahmad Farhan time to look through the seized evidence in his custody.

The judge adjourned hearing to 9am tosay, saying another prosecution witness will take the stand if Ahmad Farhan has yet to get the items to be produced in court. — Bernama