FORMER prime minister Najib Razak is the central figure behind the SRC International scandal and not Penang-born businessman Low Taek Jho, the lead case investigator told the high court heard today.

“Low is not a person of great significance in this case. The person of greater importance is Najib,” Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) investigator Rosli Husain told the court during cross-examination today. 

Rosli, who was the lead investigator in this case, denied Najib was being wrongly accussed of crimes that was the result of fraud by Low, who is better known as Jho Low.

Defence today repeatedly suggested that Low was the mastermind in a scheme to defraud millions from SRC International, to which Rosli also consistently denied.  

Defence counsel Harvinderjit Singh referred to chat transcripts of a BlackBerry phone belonging to former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu. 

Harvinderjit: Does the BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) chats show that Low was laundering the money?

Rosli: No.

Harvinderjit: Did Low take measures to hide information and transactions from Najib in his AmBank accounts?

Rosli: No. I disagree.

Harvinderjit: I put it to you, it was Low who misappropriated SRC International funds. 

Rosli: I disagree.

Harvinderjit: There was a BBM chat log that showed that Low had taken steps to keep Najib uninformed about his three current bank AmBank accounts?

Rosli: I disagree. 

Harvinderjit: It was Low who cheated the bank regarding Najib’s source of funds?

Rosli: I disagree.

Harvinderjit: I put it to you that the transactions Najib is charged with were made by Low? 

Rosli: I disagree.

Rosli further denied that Low had instructed former SRC International CEO Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil to sign Najib’s bank documents.

He also denied that Low controlled SRC International funds through former company directors Jerome Lee and Terence Geh.

Rosli also dismissed suggestions that he under pressure to question former SRC International director Suboh Md Yassin again after the 2018 general election, when Pakatan Harapan swept into power. 

MACC questioned Suboh five times in 2015 and six times in 2018. 

Rosli denied that Suboh was emboldened after the elections to state that the signatures on letters of instructions were his and not forged.

On the suggestion that he was pressured by his superiors, Rosli replied: “Tidak langsung (Not at all).”

“This was my case, where I was tasked to investigate the number one man in the country. Also, I have to look out for my credibility.”

Rosli was appointed lead investigator on July 6, 2015, the same day Bank Negara officers raided the Jalan Raja Chulan branch of AmBank, in Kuala Lumpur. 

Meanwhile, on whether he had travelled to Italy to verify Najib’s credit card charges of RM3.35 million at a Swiss jeweller and watch stores on August 8, 2014, Rosli replied: “I wish I could have.”

That drew laughter from the court and a smile from Najib.

The 66-year-old Pekan MP faces seven charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money-laundering involving RM42 million of SRC International funds. 

The trial presided over by Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues tomorrow. – August 22, 2019.