I didn’t know Nazlan’s role in approving 1MDB loan, says Arul Kanda
Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy is accused of abetting Najib Razak in the 1MBD audit report tampering trial.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy told the High Court he had no personal knowledge that then Maybank Group general counsel Nazlan Ghazali was involved in approving a RM4.17 billion loan to the sovereign fund.
Arul Kanda said this when re-examined by ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram in the 1MBD audit report tampering trial, where Najib Razak is standing trial for abuse of power.
Sri Ram raised this question after lawyer Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, brought up Nazlan’s role in approving the loan.
Sri Ram: It was suggested to you that Nazlan would have had a hand in this (loan approval). Did you have any personal knowledge of this?
Arul Kanda: No.
Arul Kanda, who was earlier cross-examined by Shafee, said he only knew Nazlan was the general counsel of the Maybank Group.
“However, I have not personally met Nazlan,” he said.
Arul Kanda, who joined 1MDB on Jan 5, 2015, said he had only dealt with the bank’s lawyer, Dalvin Kaur, also known as Molly, and Michael Oh-Lau from the commercial loan division.
He said 1MDB had partially defaulted on the loan and the company was in talks with the bank to restructure the payment .
Nazlan was the trial judge who convicted Najib in the SRC International case on July 28, 2020.
Earlier this week, a five-member Federal Court bench affirmed Najib’s conviction and his 12-year jail term. He was also fined RM210 million.
Nazlan was appointed to the bench in 2015 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal early this year. He joined Maybank Group in 2006 before he was made a judge.
Najib is standing trial for alleged abuse of power as the then prime minister and finance minister in February 2016 to obtain immunity from legal action and causing amendments to the finalised 1MDB audit report before it was tabled at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting.
In June, the court allowed the prosecution’s application to examine Arul Kanda, who is charged with abetting Najib. He remains a co-accused.
The hearing before judge Zaini Mazlan was adjourned to Sept 2.
KUALA LUMPUR: Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy told the High Court he had no personal knowledge that then Maybank Group general counsel Nazlan Ghazali was involved in approving a RM4.17 billion loan to the sovereign fund.
Arul Kanda said this when re-examined by ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram in the 1MBD audit report tampering trial, where Najib Razak is standing trial for abuse of power.
Sri Ram raised this question after lawyer Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, brought up Nazlan’s role in approving the loan.
Sri Ram: It was suggested to you that Nazlan would have had a hand in this (loan approval). Did you have any personal knowledge of this?
Arul Kanda: No.
Arul Kanda, who was earlier cross-examined by Shafee, said he only knew Nazlan was the general counsel of the Maybank Group.
“However, I have not personally met Nazlan,” he said.
Arul Kanda, who joined 1MDB on Jan 5, 2015, said he had only dealt with the bank’s lawyer, Dalvin Kaur, also known as Molly, and Michael Oh-Lau from the commercial loan division.
He said 1MDB had partially defaulted on the loan and the company was in talks with the bank to restructure the payment .
Nazlan was the trial judge who convicted Najib in the SRC International case on July 28, 2020.
Earlier this week, a five-member Federal Court bench affirmed Najib’s conviction and his 12-year jail term. He was also fined RM210 million.
Nazlan was appointed to the bench in 2015 and was elevated to the Court of Appeal early this year. He joined Maybank Group in 2006 before he was made a judge.
Najib is standing trial for alleged abuse of power as the then prime minister and finance minister in February 2016 to obtain immunity from legal action and causing amendments to the finalised 1MDB audit report before it was tabled at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting.
In June, the court allowed the prosecution’s application to examine Arul Kanda, who is charged with abetting Najib. He remains a co-accused.
The hearing before judge Zaini Mazlan was adjourned to Sept 2.
I don't like this Arul Kanda arrangement.
ReplyDeleteToo much of Wankee-style prosecution, where opaque, closed-door prosecution deals are often made with certain individuals.
The prosecution's objective is to pursue Big Fish, but the individuals who cut the deals are often criminals themselves, and end up getting away lightly or even scott free.
The Wankee prosecutors justified this as necessary to break the Omerta silence in organised crime gangs, as well as members of powerful elites.