KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the RM9.5 million payment was for legal services to Barisan Nasional (BN) and Umno, since the administration of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad when he was the fourth Prime Minister.
“I received the monies in two portions because I have been doing work for BN and Umno since the time of Tun Mahathir and I was never paid," the prominent lawyer revealed today.
While the payment was made by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, Muhammad Shafee reiterated that the payment was not for his fees as prosecutor in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's sodomy II case.
“I said I did not receive RM9.5 million from Najib to do Anwar’s (sodomy II) case and that was as clear as daylight," he said.
“The bill that I showed, to justify RM9.5 million is in relation to 46 election petitions that I handled for the party.
“In fact, if I want to charge for all the work that I had done for BN alone, forgetting my advise to the prime ministers (Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and Najib) the bill would be about RM20 million.
“I only asked for RM9.5 million because I needed quick money to purchase a property to help a friend,” he said, adding that Najib agreed to give him the amount in two transactions, in advance payment or loan, until he rationalised the legal billing.
“That is why in previous years, I could not declare my income tax because it (the bill) was not crystallised yet."
Muhammad Shafee claimed trial today at the Sessions Court, here, to two charges under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA) over two payments of RM4.3 million and RM5.2 million from Najib in 2013 and 2014.
He was also charged with two counts of making false declarations to the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) for not including the RM9.5 million in his tax filing for the year under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 (AMLATFAPUA).
Speaking at a press conference, he claimed that the investigation against him was not complete and rushed.
“The anti-graft body had summoned Najib to give his statement on the RM9.5 million scandal, however, it was canceled," he said, referring to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
“I was brought to court today without the benefit of Najib’s statement because he is the only other witness who can corroborate or deny my claims,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafee revealed he heard rumours that he would be jointly charged with Najib for the RM9.5 million case.
He claimed that it was an effort by several quarters to ensure that he could not defend the former prime minister and himself in the joint-trial.
“However, we will make sure that it will not work (joint-trial) because we have our own strategy if it ever comes to that,” he said when met after he posted bail at the court complex here.
Muhammad Shafee said his charges did not effect his position as the lead counsel for Najib’s criminal breach of trust and power abuse cases.
He said the charges brought against him were politically-motivated and related to Anwar's bid to get away from the Sodomy II conviction at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court previously.
“I feel the four charges brought by ‘some people’, one obviously at the agitation of Anwar as he is trying to run an argument that because I received RM9.5 million, purportedly as a reward for prosecuting Sodomy II, he did not receive fair trial.
“The second reason is there are people in the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) who want to ‘get rid’ of me in Najib’s legal lineup.
“They promised the people to charge everyone in relation to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) case but the best they can do now is charge Najib with the RM42 million funds relating to SRC International Sdn Bhd,” he said.