1MDB Specialist Witness Cannot Confirm Jho Low as ‘Number One’ Conspirator

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 10 — An offshore asset recovery specialist testified in the High Court today that she could not confirm whether fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, was the primary “number one” figure behind the alleged conspiracy to misappropriate 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds.

Angela Barkhouse, managing director of Kroll (Cayman) Ltd and head of Kroll’s Offshore Practice, explained that her asset recovery investigation focuses directly on any individuals or entities that received misappropriated funds.

Testifying on the fifth day of 1MDB’s USD5.64 billion civil lawsuit against former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and six others, Barkhouse was cross-examined by Najib’s lead defense counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, before Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan Idrus.

During cross-examination, Shafee asked Barkhouse if she encountered Jho Low’s name during her investigation, to which she confirmed she had. When asked whether she agreed that Jho Low was at the center of the controversy and the alleged conspiracy to destroy 1MDB, Barkhouse stated:

“Amongst others, yes.”

However, when Shafee pressed further on whether she would rank Jho Low as the “number one” figure in the alleged conspiracy, Barkhouse replied that she was not certain.

Addressing Barkhouse’s statement that her investigation focuses on entities and individuals who received funds, Shafee asked for clarification regarding his client.

“By that, you are implying that it includes my client (Najib). Is that correct?” Shafee asked.

“That is correct,” Barkhouse replied.

The civil suit was filed on May 7, 2021, by 1MDB alongside its subsidiaries—1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited, and Global Diversified Investment Company Limited (formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Limited).

Besides Najib, the lawsuit names six former executives as co-defendants: former finance director Terrence Geh Choh Heng, former executive director Casey Tang Keng Chee, former chief investment officer Vincent Beng Huat Koh, former chief operating officer Radhi Mohamad, former investment director Kelvin Tan Kay Jim, and former chief investment officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil.

The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of breach of trust, breach of statutory duty, abuse of power, and conspiracy to misappropriate 1MDB assets.

The ongoing civil proceedings are being heard separately from criminal cases involving the sovereign wealth fund. On December 26, 2025, Najib was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined RM11.4 billion for abuse of power and money laundering involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.

The trial is set to resume tomorrow.

–NMT