KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has met former chief executive officer of SRC International Sdn Bhd, Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil, and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, who is better known as Jho Low, overseas and recorded their statements, the High Court here was told yesterday.
This was disclosed by MACC Special Operations Division Senior Assistant Commissioner Rosli Husain on the 52nd day of the trial of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is facing seven charges in relation to misappropriation of SRC funds of RM42 million.
The 57th prosecution witness said they met Nik Faisal and Jho Low in 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia and Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, respectively.
“We recorded the statement of Nik Faisal in Jakarta on Oct 17, 2015 and Jho Low in Abu Dhabi on Nov 27 the same year,” he said when replying to deputy public prosecutor Datuk Ishak Mohd Yusoff during examination-in-chief.
After having recorded their statements, Rosli said, MACC was confident that Nik Faisal and Jho Low would return to Malaysia to give evidence.
Ishak: Why didn’t you place them under bail bond?
Rosli: Because they have given their commitment, we were confident they would return to Malaysia and would cooperate in this trial. That is why we didn’t place them under bail bond.
The witness said MACC investigations showed that Nik Faisal left the country on May 7, 2018 via terminal three of the Subang International Airport while Jho Low departed on May 29, 2015 via the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
He said efforts to trace these two at their last known office and residential addresses were unsuccessful.
“We also went to the office of Nik Faisal in Shah Alam on May 21, 2018. I found only one worker there and the person told us that Nik Faisal had gone overseas and had not returned.
“Efforts to trace him at his residence in Bangsar were also unsuccessful. My officer who went to Jho Low’s house in Tanjung Bungah, Penang failed to find him and efforts to trace his father were also in vain,” he said.
He said investigations showed that Nik Faisal and Jho Low had not returned to Malaysia since.
Rosli said the warrants of arrest on Nik Faisal and Jho Low were issued on May 22, 2018 to get Interpol assistance in the hunt for the two.
Interpol also issued the red notice against the two on June 11, 2018 and it was distributed to countries where they are suspected to be in hiding, including Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and China.
He said Jho Low’s Malaysian passport was cancelled on June 14, 2018 while Nik Faisal’s passport was revoked on July 25, 2018
Rosli, the investigating officer in the case, said Jho Low also holds a St Kitts and Nevis passport.
Ishak: Where is that place?
Rosli: I understand it’s in South America. Interpol information shows that Jho Low has PR status there.
Najib, 66, is facing 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 RM42 million. — Bernama