Fuzi, who served as the 11th IGP from September 2017 to May 2019, said the trio had sought an explanation for the delay in bringing charges against Najib and others linked to 1MDB.
Meeting with Dr M
He said the first meeting with then prime minister Mahathir took place at the Perdana Leadership Foundation in Putrajaya on May 15.
At the meeting, Fuzi, then Bukit Aman commercial crime investigation department director Amar Singh, and investigating officer R Rajagopal informed Mahathir that further evidence was needed from abroad via the mutual legal assistance treaty.
According to Fuzi, the second meeting with Mahathir took place in July 2018.
“Not long after the first meeting, Tun Mahathir personally contacted me to meet him at his residence in The Mines. He expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of charges against Najib and other individuals related to 1MDB.
“I informed him that the investigation papers had been referred to the Attorney-General’s Chambers, and that the decision to prosecute was at the discretion of then attorney-general (AG) Tommy Thomas,” he testified.
Meeting with Muhyiddin
Fuzi said on July 23 that year, then home minister Muhyiddin summoned the police for a briefing on the 1MDB probe.
He testified that among those present were then deputy IGP Noor Rashid Ibrahim, then anti-money laundering investigation force chief Khalil Azlan, and Amar.
When questioned by Najib’s lead counsel Shafee Abdullah on the nature of the briefing, Fuzi replied: “Muhyiddin’s questions and responses centred on Najib, the board of directors and senior management of 1MDB.”
Meeting with Daim
Subsequently, on Aug 9, Fuzi and several senior officers were summoned by Daim, in his capacity as chairman of the Council of Eminent Persons, for a similar briefing.
“As in previous briefings with Mahathir and Muhyiddin, Daim also raised questions as to why no charges had been filed against the suspects, particularly Najib,” he said.
Fuzi added Rajagopal had informed Daim that several briefings were conducted with Thomas in July that year, during which the police recommended charges against multiple individuals.
“Thomas instructed the police to bring charges against several individuals who had fled overseas and to obtain warrants of arrest for them.
“Rajagopal also informed me that no charges would be filed against several individuals within the 1MDB management who remained in Malaysia, as they would serve as prosecution witnesses in the case against Najib,” Fuzi added.
No interference in AG’s decision
During cross-examination by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib, Fuzi confirmed that none of the three politicians made decisions concerning the investigation.
Akram: Do you agree that in all three briefings, none of them made any decisions?
Fuzi: They could not make any decisions.
Akram: Because the decision to prosecute lies solely with the AG?
Fuzi: Yes.
Akram: Since no decisions were made by them, I put it to you that there was no element of interference in the AG’s decision to charge Najib?
Fuzi: I agree.
Najib is standing trial on 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 trial before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah continues tomorrow.