Shafee: Najib has a strong defence, I also hope Jho Low turns up

KUALA LUMPUR: There is evidence that the investigations against former premier Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had not been completed before he was charged, claimed his lead counsel Tan Sri Dr Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic).

Muhammad Shafee said this in summing up his confidence in his team's ability to defend the case against his client.

"We have a very strong defence. I'm also suspicious of the fact that these charges placed against my client have been done in a hurried fashion because I can see evidence of the investigations not being completed. 

"I'm confident that we will be able to defend the case very effectively," he said on Thursday (4 Oct). 

Muhammad Shafee met reporters outside the courthouse after Najib's case mention before High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali over three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abuse of power and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds totalling RM42mil.

Muhammad Shafee said the prosecution would have to prove that his client knew that he had received money that were proceeds of a crime. 

"This is for the prosecution to prove. So far they (the prosecution) have not shown this in their charges," he said. 

Asked whether fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, would be called to court if he was in Malaysia, Muhammad Shafee said, "I hope Jho Low turns up because we may find out the truth." 

"We have millions of documents but we don't have a human being to give evidence so that they can give meaning and context to the documents. 

"If Jho Low is here, we can't avoid but to have him as a witness. I would love to cross examine him," said Muhammad Shafee.