Was Najib Razak a target or bullseye in the 1MDB scandal?

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Najib Razak was presented as a target or "bullseye" by the prosecution in the 1MDB scandal, according to his defence team.

The defence team for Datuk Seri Najib Razak argued in court that the prosecution has positioned him as the primary target, or "bullseye," for the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) financial scandal. This perspective was presented in response to the prosecution's assertion that Najib was at the "centre" of individuals involved in the scandal, with over RM2.2 billion of 1MDB funds allegedly channeled into his personal AmIslamic bank accounts.
Defence Contends Prosecution's Case Relies on Conjecture

Najib's lawyer, Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin, contended that the prosecution's case was built upon conjectures and hearsay, which he argued are inadmissible as evidence in court. He suggested that the prosecution's approach was to hold Najib responsible, using the metaphor of a target or bullseye. This framing was further emphasized by the defence's claim that some prosecution witnesses might have committed wrongdoings related to 1MDB matters but had not been charged themselves.
Questioning Najib's Centrality Amidst Other Trials

The defence team raised questions about why Najib was placed at the "centre" of the alleged network when he had not faced charges or been implicated in various 1MDB-linked trials in other countries, including Singapore, New York, or Switzerland. Furthermore, they pointed out that Najib had not been charged with abetting individuals like fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and former 1MDB in-house lawyer Jasmine Loo in their separate criminal cases within Malaysia. This was contrasted with the prosecution's description of Jho Low as Najib's "mirror image" or "Siamese twin," leading the defence to question why Jho Low was not charged alongside Najib in this specific RM2.2 billion 1MDB trial.
Defence Argues Actions Consistent with Innocence and Belief in Donations

Lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah argued that Najib is innocent and that his actions were more consistent with innocence than guilt. The defence highlighted that Najib believed the millions of ringgit deposited into his accounts were donations from Saudi Arabia, citing a meeting with the late Saudi ruler King Abdullah where political donations were discussed. They questioned why Najib would have funds taken from 1MDB to be sent overseas only to have them returned to his Malaysian bank account if he were indeed stealing. The defence also pointed to Najib's open dealings with the funds, including signing cheques for significant amounts, as indicative of a belief that the money originated from donations rather than illegal proceeds.

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Was Najib Razak a target or bullseye in the 1MDB scandal?

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