KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the High Court that it should have been somebody else in the dock instead of him taking the fall for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) financial scandal.
The former prime minister pointed his finger at former CEO of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, whom he claimed had been in cahoots with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or also known as Jho Low, and responsible for the losses suffered by 1MDB.
"Isn't he lucky that I am the accused person? Because if I were not the former prime minister and finance minister, I truly believe the stand he would be occupying wouldn't be the witness stand but the dock," Najib said in his 525-page witness statement here on Wednesday (Dec 4).
Shahrol, a prosecution witness, had testified that he executed action plans provided by Low on the belief that the instructions came with the approval and blessings of Najib.
He was the CEO when 1MDB made a US$1bil investment in a joint venture with PetroSaudi International (PSI) Ltd.
The court was told that the US$1bil had been diverted into two different shell companies belonging to Low and one of Low's associates.
"As for Datuk Shahrol's convenient excuse that he facilitated the remittance of the US$1bil because he allegedly believed the instructions originated from me, one might almost admire the audacity of such a claim if it weren't so obviously absurd as it not only contradicts the contemporaneous documented evidence.
"But then again, when it comes to me, such evidence seems to conveniently be wilfully ignored," Najib said.
Shahrol's "implausible" explanation on the remittance of the US$1bil, Najib said, only served a politically motivated agenda against him.
Najib said holding Shahrol accountable for the remittance would have exposed the fragility of his narrative and damaged his credibility.
"Instead, he is allowed to hide behind such excuses, essentially getting off scot-free for the US$1bil loss, just so he can be portrayed as a flawless, perfectly credible witness, perhaps even the gold standard of exemplary witnesses in abuse of power cases against politicians like me," Najib added.
Najib is facing four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
If he is convicted at the end of the defence case, Najib will face imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
