KUALA LUMPUR: Lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pix), in his opening statement in Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s trial involving SRC International Sdn Bhd (SRC) funds, told the High Court here today that the defence will prove that the former prime minister was not involved in any corrupt arrangements.
The defence, he said, would present evidence to establish that, among others, Najib did not misuse his office, did not have an interest in SRC, was never an agent or director of SRC International, did not misappropriate the funds either directly or indirectly and that the RM42 million in question was not received by Najib as alleged in the money-laundering charges.
“The RM42 million was transferred into his accounts without his knowledge or involvement and was not a form of gratification related to any act of Najib vis-à-vis SRC International,” he said in his 16-page opening statement before Najib took the witness stand as the first defence witness to answer charges against him relating to the SRC funds.
He said Najib, who was also finance minister then, had been misrepresented about the transactions involved and actual balances in his accounts from 2013 to 2015 and that they were manipulated by third parties without his knowledge and approval.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali had, on Nov 11, ordered Najib, 66, to enter his defence on three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), three charges of money laundering and one count of abuse of position in relation to SRC funds totalling RM42 million after finding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him. - Bernama
