KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lawyer had a field day grilling a prosecution witness today, questioning the former's relationship manager at Ambank about her messages with rogue financier Low Taek Jho or Jho Low about Najib's account.

Joanna Yu Gin Ping, 52, even stuttered when she tried to answer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah's questions when he zoomed in on the conversation where Low instructed Yu not to send the bank statement to Najib.

Earlier, Yu admitted that she did not consult Najib in handling his account and dealt with the fugitive businessman instead.

In today's proceedings, Shafee pressed the 41st prosecution witness on her BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) text relating to the RM2 million cheque issued by the former prime minister that was likely to bounce due to the insufficient amount in his current account.

Shafee: You were informed there was a shortage in one of Najib's accounts, then you called Low?

Yu: Yes.

Shafee: Then what did Low tell you?

Yu: He said he will get Mr. Key to bank in the money.

Shafee: You told him you cannot accept cash because the amount is too big.

Yu: Yes.

Shafee, who seemed baffled with Yu's answer, questioned the latter why she reported to Low since SRC International former chief executive officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil was the only mandate holder for Najib's account.

Yu said she had no doubt that Low was in contact with the account holder as he was the one who came and opened Najib's account at the bank.

The senior lawyer also asked Yu over Low's instruction not to send the bank statement to the account holder, which Yu abided.

Shafee: On Oct 14, 2014, Low said please do not send back statement to MNR (Mohd Najib Razak). Can you explain this.

Yu: I believe he wants to send the statement directly to Najib.

Shafee: Why would a banker take instructions from a nobody in the account?

Yu: The bank had instructions to keep the statement and give that to Nik Faisal.

Shafee: You are authorised to give it to Nik Faisal?

Yu: Yes.

Yu said she also would approach Low whenever he could not get in touch with Nik Faisal to resolve issues related to the accounts.

She also disagreed with Shafee's contention that Nik Faisal could not be efficient as the mandate holder due to Low's interference in the matter.

"I only alerted Low about the account when I failed to get hold of Nik Faisal. For me, both of them are communicating with each other," she said.

Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2023/02/875846/najibs-ambank-relationship-manager-grilled-shafee