Najib was only at fault for overtrusting people — Lawyer

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who was found guilty on all seven charges is only at fault for overtrusting people, the High Court yesterday heard.

His lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said Najib, 67, however, is willing to take the blame due to his fault of trusting people that ought to run the company – 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) – as well as SRC International Sdn Bhd.

“In certain instances, he overtrusted people,” said Muhammad Shafee.

Najib was found guilty on all seven charges of Criminal Breach of Trust (CBT), money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.

The counsel added that his client already went through a series of punishment as he has been charged in at least four courts, in addition to being hounded by the tax department (Inland Revenue Board).

“The most ridiculous sum of money is now placed on his head as tax due, or taxable income of RM1.69 billion – a staggering amount on an individual,” he said while pleading the sentences to be run concurrently.

The political journey of the former premier was also heard in his mitigation made by Muhammad Shafee yesterday, before Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali meted out the sentence to the former premier after he was convicted on all charges.