Najib Says He’s a Victim of Political Vengeance, Sues Top Officials Involved In 1MDB Probe

Looks like our former premier isn’t going down without a fight! According to a report by Reuters, the embattled former prime minister has filed lawsuits against 3 top investigators probing a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1MDB.

In three civil filings made last week but only made available to Reuters on Wednesday, Najib’s lawyers alleged that anti-graft chief Mohd Shukri Abdull, police commercial crimes head Amar Singh and Attorney General Tommy Thomas were prejudiced against him over the course of their investigations.

Source: The Star

Najib has denied any wrongdoing regarding 1MDB and SRC. He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday’s court hearing. This is really looking like a last ditch effort to save his skin!

Badrul Abdullah, (leader of one of the two Malaysian legal firms representing Najib) said the applications were based on past statements made by the three individuals.

He told reporters that their legal team are seeking a court decision on whether there is conflict of interest among the individuals handling the case. He also said his client (Najib Razak) is seeking costs and any further order and relief deemed fit by the court.

Reuters reports that the former prime minister’s lawyers and the respondents are scheduled to meet with two judges for separate pre-trial hearings on July 16.

The three men involved in this are anti-graft chief Mohd Shukri Abdull, police commercial crimes head Amar Singh and Attorney General Tommy Thomas.

Source: The Star

Source: Free Malaysia Today

Source: The Star

One can see why these three individuals in particular were sued. In May, Shukri said a 2015 investigation into 1MDB was suppressed, while Amar Singh has famously led police seizures of the assets linked to Najib’s family and Thomas is the lead prosecutor who charged Najib with three counts of criminal breach of trust and one for abuse of power.

On Wednesday, the high court granted a temporary gag order barring any discussion of the merits of the SRC case from being published.

Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is Najib’s lead counsel in the case, has defended his client saying that Najib has faced a “trial by media” way before the case was even presented in court.

“If it’s only the media, then perhaps it is something else. But it’s coming from ministers… condemning my client and virtually hanging him for it, and that’s not ok,” Muhammad Shafee told the court on Wednesday. He claims that the trial will no longer be fair if it continues as such.

Thomas said the prosecution will “object strenuously” to the gag order as it was unfair to keep Malaysian people in the dark about developments in the case, especially given the coverage in media outside the country.

The plot certainly thickens, while Malaysians everywhere continue to keep a close eye on the case.

Also read: BREAKING: Najib Was Just Arrested at His Private Residence