Najib’s lawyers want audio recordings released by MACC as it may be useful for his defence

(NST) – Datuk Seri Najib Razak wants the audio recording, which includes what has become one of the most talked about conversation between a husband and his wife, that was made public by the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission (MACC).

His lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah notified High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali about the matter at the onset of Najib’s SRC International Bhd trial today.

He said the contents of the audio recording may be useful for the defence as he mounts Najib’s challenge against accusations linked to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal.

“In view of the disclosure of the audio recordings to the world, I am going to make an application that MACC provides us the recording.

“The majority of its content is usable for our defence,” he said.

Lead prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram said the prosecution reserved the right to object or not to object to the application pending further details.

It was reported that MACC chief commissioner Latheefa Koya had released audio recordings of conversations involving Najib, his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, former MACC chief Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, Baling member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, Crown Prince of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed Zayed Al-Nahyan and several others.

At a press conference yesterday, Latheefa played nine clips of phone conversations between Jan 5, 2016 and July 29, 2019, which ran for nearly 45-minutes combined.

The recordings, she said, were received by the MACC some time this month.