KUALA LUMPUR: The monies linked to the criminal breach of trust charges faced by Datuk Seri Najib Razak were for the well-being of the nation, the Sessions Court heard.
This was the submission of the former Prime Minister’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah for Najib’s bail.
Najib and former treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah were jointly charged at the Sessions Court this morning with six counts of CBT involving over RM6.6 billion of the government funds.
Judge Ahmad Azman allowed them RM1 million bail in two sureties each, after they claimed trial to the charges.
Shafee said Najib did not benefit a single cent from the amount that was mentioned in the charges.
“The first two charges are wholly unfounded because the decision undertaken by my client and Irwan was for the good of the nation and public.
“Or else it would have triggered a default which would have been disastrous,” he said adding that the charges involved land acquisition for two different projects.
He had in his submissions said charges three to six were in relation to the payment due to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC)
He said the funds were initially allocated for a purpose but was diverted for re-prioritisation of funding for purposes of debt settlement to IPIC.
Shafee described the charges against his client as atrocious and absurd, and said his team of lawyers were looking forward to the trial.
Shafee pleaded for a bail amount of RM4.5 million that has been paid by his client in his previous case to be applied in this case.
He said the amount of bail imposed on his client who was already facing 32 charges in the previous case was perhaps the highest in the history of Malaysia.
Counsel Datuk K. Kumaraendran who represented Irwan in submitting for his client’s bail said his client was not likely to avoid attending court proceedings.
He said his client had held various positions in the government and earned various awards including Anugerah Cemerlang.
“He had also given full cooperation to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission during investigation,” he said.
Lead prosecutor in the case Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram opposed to Shafee’s submission to have Najib released on the previous bail amount, saying the offences were serious.
He said Irwan had benefited from his tenure and emolument and received millions from his directorship.
“He is not a good Samaritan. He was paid handsomely, or shall I say excessively,” he said.
Meanwhile counsel Datuk Geethan Ram Vincent who also represented Irwan said his client did not benefit from the money stated in the charges.
He said the emolument payment received by his client was valid.
“It is not fair to say that my client is not a good Samaritan. He is not guilty until proven so,” he said.