1MDB trial: Defence accuses Amhari of working with Jho Low from the start

The defence and a witness for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial clashed at the High Court here when the witness was accused of working with fugitive financier Low Taek Jho to defraud 1MDB.

Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah accused Najib’s former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin of being involved in the entire 1MDB spectacle.

“In fact, you were working hand-in-hand with Jho Low from the very beginning.

“This is why the Prime Minister was kept misinformed by you and Jho Low, acting in tandem,” said Shafee, to which Amhari denied.

Shafee said Amhari maneuvered his way for Najib to send him to Abu Dhabi to cover up the “rotten smell” of the dealings with the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).

He also accused Amhari of being told by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to implicate Najib as much as possible, in return for a favour by the MACC not to charge him.

Shafee also said Amhari owned the “fake” Aabar Investments PJS Ltd (BVI) which was held by Tycoon Game, which Shafee said was the “same person” as Amhari.

Shafee: I want to round it up: You are aware of this, you are actively concealing this from, not just from us, even from the MACC. You were actively concealing your involved hands in this entire 1MDB spectacle.

I’m putting it to you that in fact, you were working hand-in-hand with Jho Low from the very beginning. This is why your own boss, the prime minister, was kept misinformed by you and Jho Low acting in tandem.

Amhari: I disagree.

Shafee: Now that I’ve shown your connection with Aabar, which is what DoJ says (about) the fake Aabar. You are the owner of fake Aabar, that’s why you organised with Jho Low, volunteered to go to Abu Dhabi so that this “rotten smell” would not come out. The prime minister would not know. Went there, negotiate, so that this matter is taken out of arbitration.

Of course the prime minister gave you instructions and say “Try to get this no longer a litigation. Let’s negotiate”. But you volunteered to do this, manoeuvred your way to do this, so that you can conceal this aspect of your involvement through Aabar.

Amhari: I disagree.

Shafee: And that’s how, this lady Jasmine Loo, Loo Ai Swan, is not implicated with Jho Low. And now that things are not as sweet as before, she sues your company, which is Tycoon Gain in British Virgin Islands because she wanted back her share in another company that you were holding in trust for her.

Amhari: I don’t know that.

Shafee: I’m saying this because you are not involved only with Jho Low, (but) with the whole gang.

The Star