Azmi, 49, said this was because Jho Low was introduced to him by Najib’s principal private secretary, the late Azlin Alias. Azlin died in a helicopter crash on April 4, 2015.
He was being cross-examined as the 12th prosecution witness by Najib’s counsel, Hariharan Tara Singh, at the former prime minister’s trial over the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion in funds from 1MDB.
Hariharan: As the then CFO, don’t you think it was inappropriate to take instructions from Jho Low, who was not part of the company (1MDB)?
Azmi: No, because of the events leading to how I met him, and what I believed and everyone else, too. We thought he was legitimately representing Najib. I didn’t meet him off the road somewhere, he was introduced by the late Azlin.
Azmi then testified on a meeting held on Dec 15, 2013, at Najib’s residence with KPMG Malaysia which was held as KPMG was dissatisfied with the inadequate explanations and documents provided on 1MDB’s huge investment of US$2.3 billion in an unknown fund, Bridge Global SPC, which was made through Brazen Sky Ltd, a special purpose vehicle of 1MDB.
Azmi said he, along with former 1MDB chief executive officer Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman and former 1MDB chairman Lodin Wok Kamaruddin were at the meeting together with Jho Low and Najib.
Hariharan asked Azmi why he did not verify the fund transfers when he met Najib at the meeting, to which the witness said that in hindsight, he should have, but did not think it was an appropriate forum to speak to Najib about it.
Hariharan: Wouldn’t it have been prudent to check on the transactions? Why didn’t you verify the matter with Najib? You should have asked Najib himself.
Azmi: It’s very convenient to say I should have walked up to the prime minister (Najib) and ask… I’m sorry, I don’t think it’s professional.
To another question, Azmi agreed that Jho Low had benefited from the movement of funds from 1MDB to his company, Good Star Ltd.
However, he disagreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that he was part of Jho Low’s plan to misappropriate 1MDB funds.
He also admitted that he carried out instructions from Jho Low without questioning him.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.