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The former 1MDB counsel, however, insisted she was under threat from Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low, and was being monitored.
“I didn’t want to endanger myself (by reporting the threats),” the witness said.
Asked by defence counsel Shafee Abdullah about her life outside Malaysia prior to her arrest by police last year, Loo said she initially lived in Thailand but moved to Cambodia later in 2018, before relocating to China and Myanmar.
She said Low had said there would be “reprisals” if she returned home. He also said he was in the midst of negotiations with the then Pakatan Harapan government.
“He asked me not to spoil his plan (negotiations).
“I felt that if I did not follow his instructions, there might be consequences, and I believed at that time he would take drastic action (against me),” said Loo.
The witness also said she did not want to face the same fate as former PetroSaudi executive Xavier Justo, whom she claimed was “forced” to make a false confession.
Shafee: Did you lodge a police report after you came back?
Loo: I did not. I will have to take advice from my lawyers.
Asked about her current status as a protected witness, Loo refused to answer. Deputy public prosecutor Deepa Nair Thevaharan then informed the court that Loo is barred from disclosing details.
Loo said she had resolved a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice (DoJ) against her, which saw her surrender all items claimed by the US government.
Shafee: You received expensive gifts from Jho Low?
Loo: Over the years, when I was in UBG Group.
She said the items included a Richard Mille watch and a Hermes bag which she received after leaving 1MDB.
Explaining the exotic holidays she took with Low, which included visits to casinos in Las Vegas, Loo said she went along as a friend.
The hearing continues on March 14.
Najib is facing 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
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