Shafee Abdullah argued that the corruption charges failed to specify the “interests” Najib had or would receive from decisions related to 1MDB transactions.

He noted that in typical corruption cases, the prosecution would outline how the accused person had an “interest” through the decision-making process.

“If there is no specified interest and decisions are made, then there is no offence,” Shafee said.

“Witnesses (in the 1MDB trial) have never testified about this ‘interest’,” he added, referring to the conclusion of the prosecution’s case.

Citing an example, Shafee said that in the 1999 abuse of power case involving Anwar Ibrahim, the prosecution clearly stated his interest in instructing two Special Branch officers to obtain written denials regarding his alleged sexual misconduct.

Shafee told the court that “two to four offences” were lumped into each of Najib’s four charges, insisting that each offence should be distinctly outlined in each charge.

Najib is charged with 25 counts of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The prosecution closed its case on May 30, having called 50 witnesses to testify over five years.

The hearing continues before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah tomorrow.