KUALA LUMPUR: Fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low used to cook pasta at Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz's house on the weekends, the High Court heard today.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, contended this while cross-examining the former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor, to which she replied that it was "ludicrous and preposterous".
Shafee also suggested that Low was close to Zeti's husband, Datuk Tawfiq Ayman, as they were both from the prestigious Wharton Business School in the United States.
Shafee: When you were governor, where was your residence?
Zeti: Near Jalan Tunku Putri, Bukit Tunku.
Shafee: That is not very far from Najib's house near Langgak Duta.
Zeti: Yes.
Shafee: I put to you every time Low had a meeting at Najib's house, he had to excuse himself because he needed to see you.
Zeti: I was not aware of this.
Shafee: I put to you that Low was close to your husband because they were business partners.
Zeti: Not true.
She also disagreed with Shafee's contention that she had informed Najib about receiving luxurious gifts from Low, which she subsequently gave back.
Zeti is the 46th prosecution witness in Najib's corruption trial over the misappropriation of funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Shafee also bombarded Zeti with questions regarding the statement from former Goldman Sachs Southeast Asia chairman Tim Lessner, who claimed to have paid bribes to Zeti's husband to expedite the remittance of US$1 billion from 1MDB to the foreign joint venture company.
The 70-year-old banker, however, vehemently stated that her husband was never involved or received monies from 1MDB.
In February last year, Leissner had spoken about alleged bribes involving Tawfiq in relation to a joint project between PetroSaudi and 1MDB.
He said this while testifying at the trial of his former employee, banker Roger Ng, at the Brooklyn High Court in New York.
Tawfiq later issued a press statement to refute Leissner's allegations, saying he did not know Leissner or Ng and never met nor communicated with either of them.
Shafee: Did you or BNM issue any statement to refute this?
Zeti: No, because I was told it would be affecting the case. My husband did (it) because it refers to him personally.
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.
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