A former banker who previously tried to dispel claims that bankers at AmBank were complicit in manipulating Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak’s bank accounts was forced to eat her own words when it was revealed that she had used her own money to top up Najib’s account to prevent his cheque from bouncing.
Joanna had previously rubbished the theory of rogue bankers being involved in manipulating Najib’s personal bank accounts.
On the 22ndof July 2019, she alleged that there was no conspiracy as everything was done according to instructions from the account holder or his mandate.
The fact that Joanna aliased with Jho Low behind Najib’s back, took instructions from Low and took things into her own hands when Low gave her the runaround suggests that the duo was complicit in manipulating Najib’s account.
SUBANG JAYA: A former banker who previously tried to dispel claims that bankers at AmBank were complicit in manipulating Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Razak’s bank accounts was forced to eat her own words when it was revealed that she had used her own money to top up Najib’s account to prevent his cheque from bouncing.
The said banker, Joanna Yu Ging Ping, admitted that she advanced RM55,000 into the account to cover the shortfall arising from a RM80,000 cheque he issued in September 2015.
Based on her testimony, the “top up” constituted a violation of several Banking Acts as the deed was done without the knowledge of the account holder or his mandate, simultaneously proving that things were wilfully done behind Najib’s back.
The fact that Joanna aliased with Jho Low behind Najib’s back, took instructions from Low and took things into her own hands when Low gave her the runaround suggests that the duo was complicit in manipulating Najib’s account.
A report by the NST Online read:
The former Corporate Banking Officer at AmBank, who was also Najib’s relationship manager, had earlier skirted around the issue when questioned by lawyer Harvinderjit Singh.
However, she was forced to admit it when shown her Blackberry messenger chats with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho @ Jho Low, who has since been revealed to have close control of the former prime minister’s bank accounts.
The chats showed how Yu had desperately tried to get hold of Jho Low on that day due to insufficient funds in Najib’s accounts.
After being given the runaround by Jho Low, who was on a flight, and his secretary, a woman identified as Josie, Yu eventually decided to use her own money to top up Najib’s account.
The court heard that Jho Low repaid her the money the very next day.
Najib’s defence has tried to show that Jho Low had gone out of his way to ensure the former Finance Minister was kept in the dark about his account balances.
Jho Low, they said, had ensured AmBank never returned Najib’s cheques even though the latter’s accounts were always overdrawn to the tune of millions of ringgit, when cheques were issued or his credit cards used.
Another example of one such incident happened when Najib issued a RM5 million cheque to Umno even though his account only had RM1.2 million in it.
On that occassion, Jho Low also managed to arrange for money to be wired in.
Earlier, the court also heard how Jho Low had transferred 5.75 million sterling pounds (about RM30 million) into Najib’s account in 2014.
The money was transferred from a Jho Low linked company called Vista Equity Partners Ltd which is based in the Seychelles.
Jho Low, the court heard, had informed Yu to list the fund transfer as a gift for the then prime minister and Umno president.
Yu, who is the 54th prosecution witness, had previously testified that she was asked to leave AmBank in 2015 due to her involvement in Najib’s accounts.
However, she did not give details about the circumstances leading to her ouster from the bank due to confidentiality, non-disclosure agreement between both parties.
Joanna had previously rubbished the theory of rogue bankers being involved in manipulating Najib’s personal bank accounts.
On the 22ndof July 2019, the NST Online posted:
The theory of rogue bankers being involved in manipulating Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s personal bank accounts was put to rest today.
The former prime minister’s relationship manager at AmBank who used to handle his accounts said everything was done according to instructions from the account holder or his mandate.
“There is no conspiracy here,” Joanna Yu Ging Ping said.
The 48-year old banker said this when asked to address allegations that she was a rogue banker who acted with others, including Low Taek Jho @ Jho Low, in manipulating Najib’s bank accounts leading to mess the politician is in now.
THE THIRD FORCE
