KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak's defense team today trained their guns on Najib's former aide, Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, accusing him of implicating Najib in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) financial scandal.

Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Amhari was a corrupt public official as he willingly accepted a US$200,000 'loan' from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.

On Sept 10, 2019, Amhari, when testifying as one of the key prosecution witnesses, admitted that he received the 'loan' from Low for the purchase of a house and for property-related matters.

However, he said he was notaware that taking up the loan without seeking permission from his principal was an offence.

In today's proceedings, Shafee argued that Amhari had every reason to distance himself from his involvement with Low and to implicate his former boss, Najib.

"His (Amhari) credibility could be salvaged if his wrongdoings are attributable to his superior's instructions or approval instead of his personal corrupt motive.

"Amhari came as a witness with a programme in his head, almost like a chip entered his head. He had to say all that as he had been taking bribes from Jho Low," he said.

Shafee said this in his argument on why Najib must be acquitted in four power abuse charges involving the sovereign wealth fund today.

The prominent lawyer also argued that Najib was never involved in the setting up of 1MDB's predecessor company, the Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA) in 2009.

"If indeed Amhari had attended the meeting in his official capacity as Najib's special officer, no record or minute was produced to substantiate it having taken place.

The other attendees of the meeting were not called to testify to corroborate Amhari's attendance," said Shafee.

Amhari in his testimony said he attended the TIA meeting as a secretary on March 5, 2009.

However, he said he could not remember whether the meeting minutes were recorded by him.

Shafee added the prosecution also failed to prove their case by not calling any cabinet members to testify to support the 'accusation' that they were influenced by Najib to agree to the proposal for a government guarantee (GG) for TIA.

The GG was related to the Islamic Medium-Term Note (IMTN) loan bond amounting RM5 billion.

Najib, 71, 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.

For the 21 charges of money laundering, the former Pekan member of parliament is accused of committing the offences between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2024/08/1094800/1mdb-najib-was-duped-former-aide