Defence counsel Shafee Abdullah said “it is against the pathology of corruption that a person takes money and spends it for the benefit of the public”.

“We have proven that 95% of the money was not spent for his personal (benefit).

“He did not buy a private plane or treat everyone with champagne at bars,” Shafee said during submissions at the close of the prosecution’s case in Najib’s 1MDB trial.

Asked by Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah whether he had legal authority to back his contention, Shafee said it is “an inference of facts” as Najib’s 1MDB case is without precedent.

He said it was a matter for which the court must make a factual finding.

“Now, what does the prosecution have to say,” Sequerah asked.

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Kamal Bahrin Omar told the court the prosecution is only concerned with the fact that the alleged money which entered Najib’s accounts had come from illegal proceeds.

Fellow DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib said whether Najib used the money for political reasons or personal gain was irrelevant, so long as it was used “for his advantage”.

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 hearing continues.