FUGITIVE financier Low Taek Jho, commonly known as Jho Low, referred to former prime minister Najib Razak as “boss”, a defence witness testified at the SRC International trial today.

When cross-examined by ad hoc prosecutor V. Sithambaram, Putrajaya Perdana Bhd group managing director Rosman Abdullah told the Kuala Lumpur High Court that Low made the reference in a BlackBerry Messenger chat regarding a transaction of RM27 million into Najib’s AmBank account on July 8, 2014.

Sithambaram: He (Low) asked you to inform him (upon completion of the transaction) so that he could inform his boss?

Rosman: Yes, that’s what he said.

Sithambaram: When Jho Low mentioned “boss” at the time, did you know whether “boss” referred to Najib?

Rosman: Yes.

Sithambaram: You knew from previous communications with Jho Low that Datuk Seri Najib was referred to as his boss?

Rosman: Yes.

Sithambaram: You also knew from (Najib’s late principal private secretary) Datuk Azlin (Alias) that that Jho Low has direct contact with Najib?

Rosman: Yes, that was mentioned in my MACC statement (in 2015).

The transaction originated from Putrajaya Perdana Bhd’s subsidiary Permai Binaraya Sdn Bhd and is the subject of three money-laundering charges against Najib, which have yet to go to trial.

Rosman testified yesterday that he was lied to by Low regarding RM170 million in transactions through accounts belonging to Putrajaya Perdana’s subsidiaries in 2014.

The money was supposed to be an advance for a contract, but the witness said he later discovered that RM32 million of it made its way into Najib’s personal bank accounts.

Rosman today recalled that that it was Najib’s aide, Azlin, who introduced him to Low in 2011.

Sithambaram pointed out that out that 52-year-old witness was in fact close to Azlin, whom he had known since 1983.

Sithambaram: In fact you both went to school at SK Sains Raub in Pahang?

Rosman: That is correct.

Sithambaram: Datuk Azlin was in fact your classmate and roommate at the hostel at SK Sains Raub? I get the feeling that you both are pretty good friends.

Rosman: Yes, I do not deny that.

Rosman said he had approached Azlin in 2011, expressing interest to go into business with a Chinese businessman who was looking for a Malay business partner.

Rosman: I have worked for 25 years. With my age and the experience I had gained, I believed it would be timely to enter into business on my own.

Rosman said he declined an offer from PutraJaya Perdana, extended to him via Azlin, to be a mere nominee or a sleeping partner and said that he had wanted a more active role.

Sithambaram: Because of the nature of the offer, you had requested Datuk Azlin to arrange for a meeting with the owner of Putrajaya Perdana so that you could see him and convince him of your abilities?

Rosman: Yes.

Sithambaram: In fact, in July of 2011, you were invited by Datuk Azlin to London for you to be introduced to the owner of Putrajaya Perdana, namely Jho Low.

You agree, from this meeting at the Rochester hotel… that Azlin appeared to know Jho Low quite well.

Rosman: I don’t think I can come up with that conclusion because I can’t comment on how deep the relationship was based on my impressions from one meeting.

Sithambaram: Were they enemies?

Rosman: Obviously they were not enemies.

Sithambaram: For you to be introduced to Jho Low, it meant they knew each other?

Rosman: I suppose so.

Sithambaram: You agree with me that until the death of Azlin, in April 2015, you and he remained very close friends.

Rosman: Yes, I agree with that.

Sithambaram: You were so close that in fact you looked after the education of his children (after his death in a helicopter crash).

Rosman: Yes, that’s right.

Yesterday, Rosman said that although he had entered into an agreement on March 9, 2012 to buy Putrajaya Perdana Bhd from Low, the Penang-born businessman remained in control of the company until the RM240 million buyout was complete on April 13, 2015.

The prosecution accuses Najib of working with Low to defraud SRC International, which the former prime minister denies.

The prime minister faces seven criminal charges for receiving RM42 of SRC International money in his accounts.

The trial continues before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali. – February 27, 2020.