Friday 29 Mar 2024
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(June 26): Former PetroSaudi International director Xavier Andre Justo has been denied bail and will be tried in Thailand, reports Malaysiakini.

The Swiss national is currently in the custody of Thai police for allegedly attempting to blackmail PetroSaudi over its deals with debt-laden Malaysian state firm, 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

It was initially reported that Justo would be deported.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Prawut Thavornsiri told Malaysiakini that the alleged offences were committed in Thailand and as such Justo would be charged under Thai laws.

Justo is expected to face remand proceedings today and is said to have appointed a team of lawyers, the report said.

Quoting a police source from Thailand’s crime suppression division, it said Justo sent an email to PetroSaudi requesting for a meeting last October, and that a PetroSaudi executive flew to Thailand to meet Justo at a hotel in downtown Bangkok.

Justo allegedly demanded 2.5 million Swiss Francs in return for not revealing confidential business information to third parties.

While no deal was struck, Thai police are in possession of CCTV footage of the meeting.

It was reported that the PetroSaudi executive lodged a police report on the alleged extortion in Bangkok about two months ago.

Justo is said to have admitted meeting the PetroSaudi executive, but claimed that the 2.5 million Swiss Francs was the remaining sum of compensation the company was supposed to pay him after his employment was terminated in 2011.

According to the police source, Thai authorities are only investigating the extortion claim, not the alleged leaking or tampering of sensitive company information.

It said Justo often travelled between Europe and Koh Samui, where he has been living with his wife and children, who left Thailand shortly before his arrest.

Justo was reported to have been paid some RM15 million to leave PetroSaudi and is now accused of asking for more money in an attempt to blackmail the oil company over its deals with 1MDB.

Thai media reported that Justo has denied this.

Thai police had described Justo as an IT executive, but checks on company information available online showed that he had been a director.

Following Justo's arrest, PetroSaudi said it was "relieved", adding that it had been made victim of a "regrettable crime that has unfortunately been politicised in Malaysia".

Meanwhile, The New Straits Times (NST), citing an unnamed source from a cyber security firm, said that documents leaked on 1MDB's 2009 business deal with PetroSaudi had been edited before they were posted on whistleblower website Sarawak Report.

This was followed by 1MDB which said initial investigations surrounding Justo's arrest showed that some leaked emails had been tampered with.

Sarawak Report has published a series of documents on the PetroSaudi-1MDB joint venture in 2009, which raised questions about 1MDB's dealings and also the involvement of Malaysian businessman Low Taek Jho. – The Malaysian Insider

 

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