He's no victim, says Najib's lawyer in rubbishing Jho Low's claims

Low Taek Jho

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak's defence team maintains that Low Taek Jho is the central figure in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal, refuting claims in an interview that he was merely a "victim".

Najib's defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the fugitive businessman, who is also known as Jho Low, had lied in his interview with Singapore's The Straits Times when he said others played a far bigger role in the scandal.

"I don't think he's telling the truth," he said.

Shafee believed that his client was not getting the best defence as Low and his alleged accomplices were absent.

"Is it purposely done to deprive my client of the best defence? These are witnesses my client can use by way of cross-examination and prove my client's case," he said.

Shafee also criticised Low for playing the victim card.

"He says he is a victim because he is not a politician. That is totally rubbish.

"If you are not a politician, nobody would want to victimise you," he said.

In his interview with the Singapore daily on Monday (Jan 6), Low claimed that the charges brought against him over the financial scandal were politically motivated.

He also claimed to have acted as an intermediary for deals involving 1MDB and denied that he had siphoned billions from the fund.

Low faces charges in the United States and Malaysia for his alleged central role in defrauding up to US$4.5bil (RM18.5bil) from 1MDB and the subject of the US Justice Department's largest-ever anti-kleptocracy case.

He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.