NAJIB Razak’s defence lawyer today poured cold water on the prosecution’s claim that it will prove the former prime minister and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho had colluded in the 1Malaysia Development Board (1MDB) scandal for personal gain.

Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said it would not be easy for the prosecution because Low was still at large.

He said the prosecution was also finding it difficult to link the SRC International case with the 1MDB trial that began today.

“I would like them to prove that Najib colluded with Jho Low at all stages in 1MDB.

“As you can see, even with the SRC International case, there’s a great struggle to link both of them,” Shafee said told reporters outside the court today.

Day one of the 1MDB trial commenced today with lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram reading his opening statement, in which he alleged that Najib and Jho Low had colluded to put on an “elaborate charade” to obtain personal gratification.

“The ultimate aim of the accused (Najib) was to obtain gratification for himself. He succeeded in achieving that aim. An elaborate charade was employed,” Sri Ram said in a packed courtroom before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Sri Ram also told the judge that Low was an important character in the charade, having been involved in 1MDB and its precursor, Terengganu Investment Authority (TIA), but now a fugitive.

However, Shafee told reporters he doubted the prosecution would be able to prove its assertion because Low was at large.

“Who are you going to call to say there is collusion?” he said, adding the blame for the scandal rested on Low alone, as the Penang-born financier had misled everyone.

“He has misled the banks, 1MDB and even TIA.

“To say that he is my client’s alter ego? I want to see them prove it,” he added.

Shafee also said that it would be hard for the prosecution to get Najib on money laundering charges because his client had always held that the money had been a donation from Saudi royalty.

“We have always said that my client believed honestly that he had the money from the Saudi king.

“Money did come into his account. That is our defence, because he met the Saudi king and there was a promise of US$1 billion (RM4.21 billion),” he said.

“The money did come into his account and it was his firm belief that the money he was spending was the donation money.”

He also questioned how the prosecution would prove that documents claiming the funds were a donation were forged, and that Najib knew about the forgery.

“He (Najib) has always believed that it was a donation, so whether documents are fabricated, you have to prove it.

“Even if you prove it, you have to prove that Najib knew it is fabricated.”

Najib, the MP for Pekan, is facing 25 charges: four counts of abusing his position for his own financial benefit totalling almost RM2.3 billion and the resulting 21 counts of money-laundering.

Day one of Najib’s 1MDB trial was heard before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah with four witnesses taking the stand. – August 28, 2019.