1MDB trial: Najib's team presents 2,500 pages of defense arguments

KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has filed about 2,500 pages of briefs in his defence in the RMB2.28 billion corruption case against 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).

His lead lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the High Court on Monday (19 August) that the huge volume was due to “overwhelming evidence” on which he said the defence could not compromise.

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“The aim is to demonstrate that the charges, particularly the four main charges, are flawed.

“The charges suffer from deficiencies such as multiplicity and ambiguity, which lead to ambiguity,” he said at the start of the trial before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

The 1MDB trial resumed on Monday for testimony following the conclusion of the indictment.

The prosecution closed its case on May 30 after the trial had lasted more than 200 days.

Najib, 70, is on trial on a total of 25 charges: four for abuse of power that allegedly gave him a financial benefit of RM2.28 billion and 21 for money laundering of the same amount.

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The four counts of abuse of power are based on Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009, which, if convicted, provides for a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the reward amount or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

For the 21 counts of money laundering, Najib is charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFPUAA) 2001. If convicted, he is punishable by a maximum fine of RM5 million and imprisonment for up to five years, or both.