KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) senior officer says she failed to show several crucial documents to Datuk Seri Najib Razak when interrogating the latter in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, the High Court heard today.

MACC senior officer Nur Aida Arifin said this when testifying as a star witness in Najib's corruption trial for misappropriating millions of funds belonging to the sovereign state fund.

Najib's counsel, Wan Azman Aiman Wan Fakhruddin, said this was because the anti-graft body knew that there were discrepancies in the former prime minister's signatures on the documents, which the witness disagreed with.

The documents were related to Najib's fourth abuse of power charge, where he is alleged to have received RM44.5 million gratification for approving a US$975 million term loan facility from Deutsche Bank AG.

Wan Azwan: These five documents are pivotal to the prosecution's case where Najib is claimed to have approved US$975 million from Deutsch Bank.

Nur Aida: I agree.

Wan Azwan: Even though these documents can support the prosecution's case, they were never shown to Najib when his statement was recorded as the MACC knew the signature was not the same.

Nur Aida: I disagree.

Wan Azwan: Since the investigation did not refer the documents to Najib during the recording of his statement, it also did not give Najib a chance to clarify whether he actually signed the documents.

Nur Aida: I agree.

Nur Aida disagreed with Wan Azwan's contention that 1MDB's top management, with the assistance of several bank officials, had conspired to defraud Najib.

Wan Azwan earlier suggested that former 1MDB chief executive Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman and former chief financial officer Azmi Tahir had orchestrated a charade with BSI bank and Aabar Investments PJS Ltd officers to deceive Najib into believing that 1MDB investment monies were returning to the company in 2014.

Najib, 70, is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

Hearing before presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/05/1055197/macc-officer-tells-court-she-failed-show-crucial-documents-najib