The Arrest Of A Former PetroSaudi Executive Gives 1MDB Controversy A Whole New Turn
49-year-old Xavier Justo, a Swiss national and former employee of PetroSaudi International, was arrested at a house in Koh Samui, Thailand, on Monday with computers, hard drives and other data storage devices.
Cover image via Astro AWANI
Attorney-General's Chambers receives positive nod on getting more evidence from Justo
Image via NST
Ms Rewcastle-Brown rubbished Justo's allegations as "bunkum"
Justo was promised RM2 million in exchange for PSI
Image via Straits Times
16 Jul: IGP dismisses media report and affirms request to interview Justo
30 Jun: Ahmad Husni: No changes to 1MDB board members
PGI can't confirm if they made certain statements regarding Xavier Justo's arrest
Image via PGI
The email from the lawyers asked for confirmation on three issues:
On 29th June Dr M questions 1MDB money whereabouts
Image via Rakyat Times
So what does Xavier Justo have to do with blackmailing PetroSaudi?
25 Jun: PetroSaudi's leaked emails were tampered with claims 1MDB
Image via The Malaysian Times
On Monday, 22 June, the Royal Thai Police arrested Xavier Justo, a former PetroSaudi International employee, for allegedly leaking information related to 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
According to The Star, Justo, said to be a former IT executive at the company, was arrested at his home in Thailand and was charged with attempted blackmail and extortion against his former employer.
Former PetroSaudi International employee Xavier Justo after being detained on Monday.
Image via The Royal Thai Police
The Royal Thai Police's crime suppression division had reportedly seized numerous computers, hard drives, and other evidence from Justo's residence after obtaining a court ordered search warrant, The Star reported. PetroSaudi said it was mulling further legal action in other jurisdictions against Justo's actions.
PetroSaudi had become embroiled in the 1MDB controversy after a joint-venture deal between the two companies was said to have been orchestrated by business tycoon [Low Taek Jho](http://says.com/my/news/11-answers-that-will-help-you-understand-the-big-1mdb-and-jho-low-conspiracy), the English daily further added.
Meanwhile, Justo's arrest in Bangkok has prompted whistle blower site Sarawak Report to speculate that Thai authorities may have been compromised and are being used to avenge PetroSaudi against those who allegedly leaked information about a 1MDB deal
In [this](http://www.sarawakreport.org/2015/06/open-letter-to-the-swiss-foreign-ministry-in-bern/) open letter, published on 23 June, to the Swiss Foreign Ministry in Bern, the website Sarawak Report expressed its concern for the welfare of Swiss National Xavier Justo, who has been arrested in Thailand on the basis of allegations made by PetroSaudi International (PSI), a Swiss and UK-based company.
"I strongly believe that this Swiss national is being made subject to revenge and harassment regarding a matter over which the Thai courts have no valid jurisdiction," said Clare Rewcastle-Brown, the editor of Sarawak Report.
"I am concerned that corruption and or the misleading of the Thai authorities are behind this malicious arrest.
I am therefore also concerned that this company is using undue and illegal influence to try to obtain these materials through a seizure by the Thai Police," she said.
However, according to a Bangkok Post report, which cited the acting commander of the Royal Thai Police's Crime Suppression Division Pol Col Akaradech Pimonsri, PetroSaudi had paid RM15.5 million to Xavier Justo to leave the company after he was found to have "behaved against the company's rules and regulations"
Image via NST
Meanwhile, it's being now claimed by Protection Group International (PGI), an international cyber security firm, that the leaked documents on 1MDB's 2009 business deal with PetroSaudi were edited before they appeared on the Sarawak Report, The Malaysian Insider reported via the New Straits Times
Image via Astro AWANI
The expert from PGI said the leaks found on Sarawak Report were an "all too familiar case" of published data going through selective editing or forgery to "create the most damaging story possible"
Two days after Justo's arrest, Parti Cinta Malaysia's vice-president Huan Cheng Guan has given a press statement today, 24 June, saying that Justo's arrest is a proof that has vindicated the Prime Minister Najib from allegations of 1MDB wrongdoings
"Thai police who arrested him (Justo) charged him with attempting to blackmail and extort the company, said it was part of a plot to discredit Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
"All detractors who made their baseless and vile accusations on the PM and 1MDB must now retract their statements and apologise for not verifying the information they sourced from Sarawak Report," said Guan in a press statement today.
He went on to criticise former Premier Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's attacks on 1MDB, calling for the country's longest serving Prime Minister and other critiques to publicly apologise for "shaming" the country.
"The point is Sarawak Report and all other writers who slammed the Prime Minister and 1MDB officials never bothered to check the authenticity of the documents, preferring to discredit our authorities even though they had all the contact details of those involved.
"As for other public figures, that has discredited our Prime Minister and 1MDB locally and internationally, a public apology on an international scale is mandatory to restore our country's reputation," he added, questioning if Tun Mahathir is now willing to "eat his words."
Image via FZ.com
