KUALA LUMPUR: The recent arrest of former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan is unlikely to alter the course of Datuk Seri Najib Razak's ongoing trial.
A source from Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said the prosecution in the case is yet to receive any direction from the top leadership as the rogue lawyer is now in police custody.
"She is now in police remand to facilitate investigation under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust.
"So far, I cannot comment further as there are no instructions from the top brass.
"However, for now, we believe our case is strong enough with or without her statement," the source told the New Straits Times.
The source said this when asked to comment on how this latest development would affect Najib's ongoing trial and whether she would become one of their witnesses.
An attempt to reach Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for comment failed as he is currently believed to be in Italy.
Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, at a press conference, said police were holding Loo at the Dang Wangi police headquarters.
"She was arrested on Friday, and the police remand was obtained on Saturday. She was arrested under Section 409 of the Penal Code for criminal breach of trust."
Loo's name was heavily mentioned during Najib's ongoing corruption trial for allegedly misappropriating RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.
It was reported that Loo was among the proxies working with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, to misappropriate millions of ringgit from the sovereign state fund.
Loo, who also became a fugitive after the fall of the Barisan Nasional-led government during the 14th General Election in 2018, was listed as a wanted person.
In 2018, Low, alongside four others linked to the scandal — Loo, Terence Geh, Casey Tang Keng Chee and Eric Tan Kim Loong — were charged in absentia at the Putrajaya and Kuala Lumpur magistrate's courts over money-laundering cases linked to the 1MDB scandal.
Loo was charged with two counts of laundering more than US$6 million received in a Swiss account she controlled on Dec 6, 2012 and July 1, 2014.
This is believed to be a portion of the funds diverted from the first two 1MDB bond offerings underwritten by Goldman Sachs.
On Jan 20, the High Court allowed the government and a bank to forfeit one property, two luxury vehicles and RM22,600 in cash belonging to Loo.
The forfeiture application was filed in November 2021 under Section 56 of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activity Act 2001.