00:00Will Justice Colin Lawrence-Sekirah call for Najib Razak to enter his defense in the 1MDB
00:07corruption case which began five years ago?
00:10The question will be answered tomorrow, following 12 days of oral submissions from both the
00:14prosecution and defense, after the prosecution closed its case in May, having called 50 witnesses
00:20over 235 days of hearings.
00:23Speaking to FMT, lawyer A. Srimurugan said the trial judge needs to find clear proof
00:28of abuse of power to call Najib to rebut the charges, or else he will be acquitted.
00:34Additionally, he said if the prosecution fails to establish a prima facie case, the 21 money-laundering
00:40charges would also be dismissed.
00:42Separately, lawyer Baljit Singh Sidhu said Najib's recent public apology was irrelevant
00:48to the trial as it is only a political statement.
00:51Najib faces 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power, with allegations from
00:56former lead prosecutor Gopal Sriram that he used his influence to conduct hasty, irregular
01:02transactions through 1MDB for personal gain, aided by fugitive businessman Lote Joe, better
01:08known as Joe Lowe.
01:10Former 1MDB chairman Baqir Saleh, Najib's ex-special officer Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin,
01:16then-Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzla, and former Bank Negara Governor Zedi Akhtar
01:21Aziz testified about Najib's alleged control over 1MDB.
01:26However, Najib's lead counsel Shafi Abdullah said the prosecution had not been able to
01:31establish a prima facie case as key witnesses were unreliable, asserting that decisions
01:36were made by the board and Joe Lowe without Najib's knowledge.
01:40Shafi also said Najib genuinely believed funds in his accounts were donations from an Arab
01:44royal family.
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