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Justice Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz issued the warrant of committal following an application by lawyer Siva Kumar Kanagasabai, who represented 1MDB and a subsidiary which started contempt proceedings against the duo.
Hayatul also ordered the Lows to pay RM5,000 in costs to 1MDB and its subsidiary, Global Diversified Investment Company Ltd, formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Ltd.
The father and son were unrepresented as their lawyers from Messrs Valen & Oh had earlier discharged themselves as they could not obtain further instructions.
Sivakumar later told reporters the custodial sentence will remain in force until the contempt is purged.
“We will also issue a copy of the committal order to the police,” he said.
On Aug 12, Hayatul had allowed 1MDB and the subsidiary to start contempt proceedings after having not received any response from Jho Low and Hock Peng, following the imposition of a Mareva injunction.
The two were supposed to disclose their assets and their whereabouts to Messrs Skrine.
Hayatul granted the ex parte Mareva injunction in March against the duo to freeze their assets, which totalled US$1.43 billion (RM6.35 billion).
A Mareva injunction is a temporary order which restrains the defendant from disposing of assets until the determination of the case between the plaintiff and the defendant.
The injunction also limits Jho Low and his father from spending more than RM20,000 a month each for living and legal expenses and, if they need more than the stated amount, they would need to get prior written permission from 1MDB and Global Diversified’s lawyers.
Last year, 1MDB and its four subsidiaries – Global Diversified, 1MDB Energy Holdings Ltd, 1MDB Energy Ltd and 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd – filed a US$3.7837 billion suit against Jho Low, Hock Peng, Jho Low’s mother Goh Gaik Ewe, sister May Lin, younger brother Taek Szen and associate Eric Tan Kim Loong.
Jho Low, who is also facing criminal charges here and in the US over allegations that he orchestrated the theft of US$4.5 billion from 1MDB, is believed to be in Macau or China.
Beijing has since denied protecting the fugitive financier.
A Red Notice has also been issued by Interpol for Jho Low’s arrest.
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