He’s an experienced Senior Executive acting in a Non-Exec Director capacity giving an interview to the London Times. If I’m recalling correctly, he is close to and trusted by Khaldoon himself. I think you’re doing him huge disservice suggesting he’d make an overtly positive statement based on tittle-tattle from “colleagues”. In terms of Corporate Governance, CFG could have a “Risk Committee” looking at the case and receiving reports; it’s perfectly feasible for a Non-Exec to be involved.
With this particular matter, whenever a silver lining appears, you do seem desperate to find a cloud !