Presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah today dismissed any suggestion that Najib Abdul Razak was unaware of the 1MDB embezzlement, saying the former prime minister was “no country bumpkin” who could feign ignorance of what was taking place.

Earlier, before adjourning proceedings, Sequerah read out his analysis of the prosecution witnesses’ evidence, including testimony that the government guarantee issued for 1MDB in 2013 was rushed at Najib’s instruction, and that the process was unprecedented and supported by minimal documentation.

“The accused was no country bumpkin but was possessed of not only an impeccable family and political pedigree, but of superior intelligence.

“(This is) given his academic background, his previous experience in politics and in the administration, not only regionally but also on a national level,” Sequerah said.

The judge also set out his findings on several aspects of Najib’s defence, including the claim that he never instructed his officers to lodge any report on the alleged embezzlement at 1MDB.

“The accused conceded that he never lodged any report to say that his signature had been on certain forged documents,” Sequerah said.

“The evidence also showed that the accused took the following action (by) dispensing the special task force in July 2015, which had been investigating on 1MDB and deposits into the accused’s personal account (as well as) the abrupt removal of the then attorney-general Abdul Gani Patail who had been leading the task force (and the) removal of then MACC chief commissioner Abu Kassim, just as the MACC was intensifying investigations (into 1MDB).

“All of their work clearly shows the accused had more than a passing interest in the affairs of 1MDB and serves to highlight the extent of the steps of action that they took in order to protect and consolidate their interests,” Sequerah added.

The court will resume at 3pm to deliver a verdict on the 1MDB-linked charges.

Charged in 2018

In 2018, Najib was accused of four counts of abuse of power and 21 money laundering charges. The trial began the following year.

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The former premier had allegedly used his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014, at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch on Jalan Raja Chulan in Bukit Ceylon.

For the 21 money laundering charges, he is accused of committing the offence at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.

His power abuse charge was framed under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law, carrying 20 years imprisonment and a fine of either five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

Najib’s money laundering charges were framed under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act, which provides a maximum fine of RM5 million and imprisonment of up to five years or both.

He was ordered to defend himself against the charges on Oct 30, 2024, after Sequerah found the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him.

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