Kuala lumpur: The prosecution in the trial of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, accused of misappropriating RM2.3 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), today asserted that the former prime minister was not a victim but the principal architect of his own criminal conduct.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib submitted that the evidence revealed that Najib was not wronged by others, but instead systematically used others to execute his bidding, and now seeks to evade the legal consequences of his own actions. He argued that the accused was the orchestrator and not the victim of the crimes, describing Najib as the single most powerful decision-maker in Malaysia and 1MDB at the time, with absolute executive, financial, and political control.
Ahmad Akram further contended that the evidence demonstrated that every individual the accused had blamed was acting either on his direct instructions or with his explicit approval. He emphasized that these individuals were bound to follow directives issued by the Prime Minister, often through his intermediary, Low Taek Jho (Jho Low).
He highlighted that the prosecution's case, supported by documentary evidence, established that no 1MDB project could proceed without Najib's prior approval, and major corporate documents bore his endorsement. Evidence from AmBank and Bank Negara Malaysia analyst Adam Ariff Mohd Roslan traced large sums into Najib's personal accounts, originating from Jho Low's controlled companies, not the Saudi Royal family as claimed.
DPP Mohamad Mustafa P Kunyalam noted the 1MDB case as bizarre, arguing that mismanagement was deliberate and not accidental. He pointed out that Najib did not distance himself from Jho Low, who acted as an indispensable facilitator in 1MDB dealings, questioning the lack of action against Jho Low during Najib's tenure.
Meanwhile, DPP Datuk Kamal Baharin Omar addressed the money laundering charges, arguing that Najib's reliance on Jho Low and unverified Saudi donation letters demonstrated "wilful blindness." He contended that the massive inflows into Najib's personal account demanded scrutiny, yet Najib avoided verifying their legitimacy.
The court also heard from DPP Deepa Nair Thevaharan, who argued that the defence failed to produce evidence establishing the authenticity of the purported Arab donation letters. She stated that the only material before the court was speculative oral testimony, unsupported by credible evidence.
The prosecution concluded its oral submissions today, with Najib's defence team scheduled to complete its replies tomorrow before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah. Najib, 72, faces charges related to abusing his position and money laundering involving RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds. He is currently serving a sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.