Ex-1MDB Chairman Testifies MACC Took Over A Month To Record His Statement

PUTRAJAYA, Feb 26 (Bernama) -- The former chairman of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) testified in the High Court today that the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) took more than a month to record his statement in connection with the 1MDB probe.

Tan Sri Che Lodin Wok Kamaruddin, 75, who served as chairman from 2009 to 2016, said he could not recall the exact number of days but confirmed that it was certainly over a month. 

He said this in response to a question from Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah while testifying as the 12th defence witness in the former premier’s trial over the alleged misappropriation of RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds.

"Sometimes, the recording would take the entire day. On a few occasions, it even went on until seven or eight o'clock in the evening," he said.

The witness told the court that he also spent 20 hours consulting with Najib’s defence team while preparing his 200-page witness statement.

"My Lord, I have made every effort to present what truly occurred, what was actually happening, and what was clearly happening in the 1MDB operations during my time as director and later chairman," he said.

When asked about fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low, Che Lodin reiterated that he only saw Jho Low for the first time during a 1MDB meeting on Sept 26, 2009. 

"I did ask the company secretary why Jho Low was there in our meeting because he was not a director or staff member," Che Lodin said, adding he did not know who had invited him. 

On Oct 30 last year, Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defence after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.

Najib, 71, faces 25 charges, including four counts of abusing his position to accept RM2.3 billion in bribes from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The hearing resumes tomorrow.

-- BERNAMA