The defence argues that the witness testimonies in the 1MDB-Tanore trial were filled with “terrible hearsay” and therefore should not be taken into account by the court.
KUALA LUMPUR – The defence in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-Tanore trial has argued that witness testimonies presented were laden with “hearsay” evidence, which the court should disregard.
This is particularly relevant to statements involving the late Datuk Azlin Alias, former principal private secretary to ex-prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho (Jho Low), whom the prosecution has described as Najib’s “mirror image” in the 1MDB scandal.
Lead defense counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, contended on Thursday that several witnesses suggested Azlin and Jho Low acted on behalf of Najib, yet the reliability of these testimonies cannot be verified, as one individual is deceased and the other’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Interpol Red Notice
Azlin died in a 2015 helicopter crash, while Jho Low, who is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, remains at large.
Shafee highlighted testimony from Najib’s former special officer, Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, who had expressed doubts during the trial about whether the instructions given truly reflected Najib’s knowledge.
“Where is the direct evidence linking my client to this? They didn’t hear from Najib himself; they claim to have heard from Azlin that Najib had authorized Jho Low,” Shafee argued.
Narratives Against Najib
He further noted that much of the testimony from the 50 witnesses used phrases like “working in silo,” “top-down approach,” and “Jho Low’s talking points,” suggesting these statements were deliberately crafted to support a narrative against his client.
The defense also asserted that in addition to Amhari, other witnesses’ testimonies were similarly inconsistent, urging the court to treat their statements with “extreme caution.”
Other testimonies deemed unreliable by the defense include those from former 1MDB CEOs Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi and Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman, former 1MDB CFO Azmi Tahir, former 1MDB legal counsel Jasmine Loo, and former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz.
The defense continues its submissions as the prosecution’s case concludes. The prosecution has not yet presented its final arguments.
The trial is scheduled to resume on 30 September with Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah instructing both parties to complete their submissions by 4 October. A date will then be set for the judge to determine whether the former prime minister must enter his defence or be acquitted. – NMH
Datin Hasnah is the co-founder and CEO of New Malaysia Herald based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
With an extensive background in mass communication and journalism, she works on building up New Malaysia Herald and it’s partner sites. A tireless and passionate evangalist, she champions autism studies and support groups.
Datin Hasnah is also the Editor in Chief of New Malaysia Herald.
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