PUTRAJAYA: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was not a victim but the architect of his own crimes, the High Court heard.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib said the evidence showed Najib used others to execute his bidding.
“He was not the victim of other men’s crimes. He was the architect of those crimes,” he said.
“The individuals he now labels as culprits acted on his orders, through his office and for his benefit,” he said in submissions on Thursday (Oct 30).
“The accused paints himself as a victim of rogue subordinates. In truth, he was the single most powerful decision maker in Malaysia and in 1Malaysia Development Bhd at the time,” added DPP Ahmad Akram.
He added that Najib wielded absolute executive, financial and political control.
DPP Ahmad Akram said 1MDB’s board, management and officers operated under Najib’s direction.
“He cannot now shift blame to those beneath him. His approval, his office and his accounts were at the centre of the transactions,” he added.
The prosecution said every individual blamed by Najib acted on his instructions or with his explicit approval as they were his subordinates and bound to follow the Prime Minister’s directives.
These were transmitted either directly or through his intermediary, Low Taek Jho or Jho Low.
“The evidence shows the accused was not an uninvolved superior. He was the originator, director and ultimate beneficiary of the schemes,” he added.
Najib faces four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil from 1MDB funds.
He also faces 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The alleged abuse of power took place at an AmIslamic Bank branch in Jalan Raja Chulan.
The period was between February 24, 2011 and December 19, 2014.
The alleged money laundering took place between March 22 and August 30, 2013.
Najib has been serving a prison sentence since August 23, 2022.
He was convicted in a separate trial over the misappropriation of RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on Friday.
