A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer today revealed how a close associate of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho @ Jho Low did not have any restriction in communicating with Saudi Royalty while they were told to observe strict protocol.
Senior Assistant Commissioner Fikri Ab Rahim said Eric Tan Kim Loong also seemed to be very familiar with the palace where MACC officers had gone to record the statement of a Saudi prince linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.
“We were told not to talk directly to any of the royalty who were there at that time and also to observe strict protocol at all times.
“However, I saw Tan and several Malaysian lawyers representing Tan and others connected to the investigation were much more at ease. There was no protocol among them,” Fikri said when testifying in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s SRC Inernational Bhd trial.
The 45-year old officer earlier testified that a team of five MACC officers, along with former deputy public prosecutor Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad (who was later appointed as MACC chief commissioner), had gone to Riyadh to record Prince Saud Abdul Aziz Majid Al Saud’s statement in relation to the 1MDB investigations at that time.
He said this happened at the end of November 2015.
Fikri said a MACC investigating officer eventually only managed to interview Prince Al Saud’s attorney who gave the statement on the latter’s behalf.
He said the attorney, who was identified as Mohammad Abdullah Al Koman, also ended up signing the statement because the prince didn’t want to do it.
“We were told he has immunity and would not be signing the statement,” he said.
Earlier, Fikri said the MACC team, along with Dzulkifli were given VVIP treatment on their arrival in Saudi Arabia.
He said they were considered as official guests of Saudi Arabia and flown to Jeddah in a private jet a day after arriving in Riyadh to interview the prince.
“We were told the prince would only meet us after we perform the umrah.
“After we were flown to Jeddah in a private jet, we were escorted all the way to Makkah and placed in a special room close to the Kaa’ba…even our robes were provided to us,” he said.
Najib, 67, is facing seven counts of power abuse, criminal breach of trust and money laundering in relation to RM42 million of SRC International funds.
The trial before High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali continues. – NST