I Told Nothing But The Truth This Ramadan Says Najib S 1mdb Witness

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1MDB TRIAL | 1MDB’s former chairperson Che Lodin Wok Kamaruddin said he told nothing but the truth this Ramadan in his defence testimony on behalf of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak.
The defence witness was testifying during today’s RM2.27 billion 1MDB abuse of power and money laundering trial against Najib, who was also former finance minister, in the High Court in Putrajaya.
Lodin (above) reiterated during re-examination by lead defence counsel Shafee Abdullah that he was willing to testify only on what transpired at 1MDB during his tenure as director and later chairperson from 2009 to 2016.
Shafee: You have been holding positions in government. By testifying like this, are you not worried that such appointments may not come your way (again)?
Lodin: As I have mentioned in the earlier part of my testimony, I am here to tell the truth of what really happened during my tenure as chairperson. In any organisation that I am connected to, if that is not acceptable (to the people in the government-linked organisation), it is okay with me.
Shafee: With it being the Ramadan month now, what you testified the last few days have been the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Lodin: Insya Allah (God willing), I told the truth and nothing but the truth.
Lead defence lawyer Shafee AbdullahAmong Lodin’s previous testimony was that Najib’s phone call in September 2009 to 1MDB’s then chairperson Bakke Salleh was merely to ensure the board made its decision “efficiently” on a proposal for the Malaysian sovereign wealth fund to enter a US$1 billion joint venture with Petrosaudi International Limited.
Lodin’s testimony backed Najib’s assertion that he did not pressure Bakke to get 1MDB to enter the joint venture.
Following the entry into the joint venture, around US$700 million of 1MDB’s funds meant for the joint venture was diverted to offshore entity Good Star Limited, which was allegedly owned by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).
Red flags?
During Bakke’s testimony against Najib, the prosecution witness testified that Low handed the telephone to him so that the ex-premier could speak to the then-chairperson about the joint venture.
Bakke said that he stepped down as 1MDB chairperson in late 2009 and that he had suspicions that Najib could be involved in alleged wrongdoing at 1MDB.
Former 1MDB chairperson Bakke SallehHe also testified that he sent an SMS to Najib in late 2009 raising concerns about what transpired at 1MDB, but that the ex-premier allegedly did not respond.
In Najib’s own testimony, he said Bakke should have met him rather than just sent an SMS before resigning.
Lodin took over as 1MDB chairperson from Bakke.
At one point, Lodin also used to be chief executive of Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT), a major shareholder in conglomerate Boustead Holdings Berhad.
He also rubbished the prosecution's contention there was a top-down approach to managing 1MDB.
The fund's former chairperson testimony goes against prosecution witness and former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi's testimony of the existence of a top-down approach that allegedly facilitated Najib's wishes was carried out by the board.
Letter from 1MDB
Earlier during today's trial, Shafee informed the court that Najib's defence team had received a letter from 1MDB indicating the fund was unwilling to sign off a waiver on the solicitor-client privilege over two lawyers who used to represent the fund.
The defence counsel said 1MDB was, however, alright with the two lawyers to come to the criminal court and testify for Najib's defence.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib confirmed the outcome.
Meanwhile, another defence witness, former police investigating officer R Rajagopal testified that the police recorded a statement from Low's alleged associate Casey Tang while in Bangkok in 2016.
The retired police officer said the authorities took down Tang's statement in Thailand's capital after being told by his lawyer Selva Mookiah that any such recording statement could only take place in Bangkok.
Rajagopal added that Tang's statement was later signed at Malaysia's embassy in Thailand.
The retired police officer said since then, an arrest warrant had been issued against Tang but that he could not be located until today.
Rajagopal added that Malaysian police had also put out a red notice with Interpol for assistance to track down the fugitive, who is on the run with Low and several other alleged accomplices.
The trial resumes on Monday next week.
26 days on the witness stand
On Oct 30 last year, the criminal court ordered Najib to enter his defence over four abuses of power and 21 money laundering charges involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.
Trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie (answerable) case against Najib due to the strength of some 50 witness testimonies, which included those of Bakke.
Former premier Najib Abdul RazakBetween early December last year and late January this year, Najib spent 26 days on the witness stand trying to raise reasonable doubt in the prosecution’s case.
The accused contended that he had neither knowledge nor involvement in wrongdoing at 1MDB and that embezzlement there was solely masterminded by Low and members of the fund’s management.
The former Pekan MP also relied on the defence that he was promised a donation by the late Saudi monarch King Abdullah during a meeting between them in Riyadh in 2010.
The accused has been serving a six-year jail sentence since August 2022 over a separate graft case involving RM42 million from SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB. - Mkini

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