Najib’s lawyer said it was like asking a fox to take care of a chicken in Jho Low’s role in 1MDB scandal

In the criminal trial of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Abdul Razak involving the alleged abuse of power and money laundering of 1MDB funds, defence lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah likened fugitive financier Jho Low to a fox taking care of a chicken.

The lawyer made the reference to the fox and chicken situation during the cross-examination of former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi.

Shahrol testified he went back and fourth between then 1MDB board of advisors chairperson Najib, Jho Low, and the sovereign wealth fund’s board of directors.

At a meeting with Najib as the 1MDB board of advisor chairperson on Oct 16, 2009, Shahrol went to meet Jho Low,  then obtained purported minutes of the Shahrol-Najib meeting to go back to the 1MDB board of directors.

Shafee then said that it was akin “to asking a fox to take care of a chicken.”

Najib Abdul Razak’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial entered its 26th-day yesterday at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

On the other hand, the court was told that US$700 million which 1MDB was supposed to pay as its share of a US$1 billion joint-venture with Petrosaudi was deposited into Jho Low’s company Good Star.

Shahrol claims at the time the money was transferred in 2009, he did not know that Good Star was owned by Low. He claims he only knew Jho Low was the owner of Good Star when he read the information in media reports.

He says the money was transferred into RBS Coutts Bank account number 11116073 (Good Star account).

That was because Petrosaudi informed 1MDB the account belonged to a Petrosaudi affiliate.

Financier Jho Low is being sought by Malaysian police. The police said they believe Jho Low is still hiding in China and the Chinese police could not find him despite a red corner notice issued by Interpol. -/TISG