The US$3 billion bond issuance involved 1MDB Global Investments Limited and Abu Dhabi-Malaysia Investment Company.

Mohd Hazem Abd Rahman, 47, however said he never asked Najib, who was prime minister at that time, to clarify the matter. Instead, he shared his concern with former 1MDB chairman, Lodin Wok Kamaruddin and Najib’s former principal private secretary, the late Azlin Alias, knowing that they had access to Najib.

Najib, who was also finance minister at that time, was the chairman of 1MDB’s board of advisors.

The 10th prosecution witness said this when cross-examined by lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed in the former premier’s trial involving misappropriation of RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds.

Wan Aizuddin: You said you had suspicions that the fundraising exercise … something is wrong. There is some nefarious agenda by Jho Low … and you also said Jho Low told you that all these bond issuance was an instruction of the prime minister?

Mohd Hazem: Yes

Wan Aizuddin: Wouldn’t that mean the prime minister would also be involved as per what Jho Low told you in this nefarious agenda?

Mohd Hazem: Wouldn’t the prime minister be involved? Absolutely yes, on hindsight, yes.

Wan Aizuddin: So, that is a very heavy accusation to say that the prime minister was involved in something illegal with the company?

Mohd Hazem: Yes, to a certain extent, yes.

The witness however disagreed with the lawyer’s suggestion that the reason why he did not clarify with Najib was because not only did he have a suspicion of Jho Low’s entire agenda but he also played along with Jho Low’s plan.

Mohd Hazem said he never raised his suspicions to 1MDB’s board of directors and did not lodge any report to the authorities on the instructions he received from Jho Low.

Najib, 67, is facing four charges for using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

The trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues on Wednesday.