I’m not Jho Low’s aunt, ex-1MDB secretary tells court

Former 1MDB company secretary Goh Gaik Kim told the Kuala Lumpur High Court today that she is not the aunt of fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.

Goh, 54, who was 1MDB’s company secretary from March 31, 2011 to April 1, 2016, denied the allegation that she is related to Jho Low during cross-examination by Najib Razak’s lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed at the trial of the former prime minister for charges of embezzling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds.

“I categorically say that I am not his auntie. Not only am I not his auntie, I am also not in any way related to him. In fact, I first met Jho Low in 2011, a month after I joined 1MDB.

“I was having lunch with 1MDB director Ong Gim Huat and Radhi Mohamad. I think he came in, Radhi said ‘Oh, that’s Jho Low’, and he and Ong went over to say hi. I saw him from afar. At that time, I didn’t know who he was.

“After lunch, I asked them who Jho Low was because in my mind, of course, he had connections with the company because they both went to greet the man. But they just kept quiet,” Goh, the 17th prosecution witness, said.

“So you were not introduced to Jho Low?” Wan Aizuddin said, to which Goh replied: “No.”

When the lawyer showed her a photograph of Jho Low, Goh said she was unable to recognise his face as she had only seen him from afar.

She also said that she had never seen Jho Low since the 2011 lunch event.

To another question, Goh said she was never informed by the senior management of 1MDB that Jho Low played any role in the company.

Najib, 68, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 charges of illegal money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.