PUTRAJAYA: There was no genuine corroboration for Datuk Seri Najib Razak's claim of a Saudi Arabian 'donor' of RM2.3bil that was funnelled into his personal bank accounts, the High Court has been told.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib said that Najib's assertion of a Saudi Arabian donor was unsubstantiated and contradicted by evidence.
Ahmad Akram, who was making his submissions in Najib's graft trial involving RM2.28bil linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), argued that Najib did not produce any donor, authentic documentation or corroborating witnesses to back up his claim.
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He said the Arab donation "story" had been held by the High Court and the Court of Appeal and affirmed by the Federal Court to be "unbelieveable", "difficult to sustain" and "untenable" in the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd case, in which Najib was convicted and sentenced.
Instead of a donation, the prosecution contended that Najib had abused his position as the prime minister and the finance minister to influence decisions and actions within 1MDB, which ultimately resulted in the billions of ringgit funnelled into his personal accounts.
"The evidence shows the accused had a direct personal interest in the decisions made by 1MDB.
"Najib benefited personally through funds traced to his accounts.
"His attempt to distance himself from operational decisions is belied by contemporaneous evidence of direct intervention," he added.
The prosecution described Najib as the "trustee and ultimate decision-maker" of 1MDB and Minister of Finance Inc (MOF Inc), yet there was a total lack of due diligence or inquiry, as expected from a prime minister or a finance minister, when receiving enormous sums of money personally.
"In this case, the accused's version does not raise a reasonable doubt and far from rebutting the presumption on a balance of probabilities. Instead, it reinforces the prosecution's narrative of deliberate abuse of power for personal gratification.
"Accordingly, it is respectfully submitted that an order of conviction should be entered," he added.
Najib is facing four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The abuse of power offences were allegedly committed at an AmIslamic Bank Bhd branch, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.
Meanwhile, the money laundering offences were allegedly committed at the same location between March 22 and Aug 30, 2013.
Najib is currently serving his prison sentence since Aug 23, 2022, after being convicted in a separate criminal trial over the misappropriation of RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Thursday.
