THE former Inspector-General of Police told the High Court on Monday that the decision to charge Datuk Seri Najib Razak in relation to the multibillion-ringgit 1MDB scandal was made independently by the Attorney-General at the time, without pressure or interference from political figures.
Tan Sri Mohamad Fuzi Harun, 66, (pic) said that although key briefings on the investigation were held with Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and the late Tun Daim Zainuddin in 2018, the prosecutorial decision rested entirely with then Attorney-General, Tan Sri Tommy Thomas.
“There was no interference from Tun Dr Mahathir, Tan Sri Muhyiddin or Tun Daim in the decision to charge Najib,” Bernama cited Mohamad Fuzi saying.
He was testifying as the 19th defence witness in Najib’s ongoing trial over the alleged embezzlement of RM2.3 billion from 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB).
He told the court that separate briefings were given to the three individuals in their respective official capacities at the time — Dr Mahathir as Prime Minister, Muhyiddin as Home Minister, and Daim as chair of the Council of Eminent Persons — by then Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) Director, R. Rajagopal.
The briefings took place in May, July, and August 2018, shortly after the historic general election that unseated Najib’s government.
Mohamad Fuzi’s testimony came during questioning by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.
Najib, 71, is currently facing a total of 25 charges — four for abuse of power involving RM2.3 billion in bribes, and 21 counts of money laundering tied to the same sum — in one of Malaysia’s most high-profile corruption trials to date.
The court had previously ruled, on 30 October last year, that the prosecution had successfully established a prima facie case against Najib, prompting Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah to order him to enter his defence.
The trial is set to resume tomorrow. – April 15, 2025
