KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak's lawyer has alleged that 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MBD) former chief financial officer was working in cahoots with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho to dupe the sovereign state fund.
Azmi Tahir, 48, who testified as the 12th prosecution witness, admitted that he took instructions from Jho Low as he saw the latter was close with Najib and the then prime minister's former aide the late Datuk Azlin Alias.
Azmi, on Nov 11, last year, told the court that Azlin had introduced him to Jho Low as soon as he joined 1MDB and described the man as 'an important person in the company'.
The trial started with Najib's lawyer Datuk Hariharan Tara Singh walking Azmi through the money trail at 1MDB.
Hariharan said Jho Low had used big names including his client's to legitimise his actions.
"He will setup offshore companies bearing names similar to the existing legitimate companies.
"He also used big names such as Najib's name to legitimise his actions," he said when cross-examining Azmi today.
Hariharan also claimed Azmi's high salary at 1MDB was a compensation from Jho Low, which Azmi disagreed.
Hariharan: You were hired as chief financial officer by Jho Low to assist him in his crime?
Azmi: I disagree.
Hariharan: Your salary was quite high. It was from Jho Low to you as compensation?
Azmi: I joined 1MDB as it was a good company. I was a banker and I was earning almost the same.
Hariharan: Were you Jho Low's puppet?
Azmi: No. I just received his instructions.
Azmi also confirmed that he did not lodge any police report on the issue of his digital signature being used without authorisation.
He said he knew about the issue during investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) five years ago.
"I did not lodge any police report as MACC was already investigating it," he said.
The trial before Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.
Najib, 68, is charged with 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB funds which were deposited into his accounts between 2011 and 2014.
He faces 20 years' jail and fine, if convicted.