In his opening address to the commission, counsel assisting, Geoffrey Watson, SC, alleged that shortly before the 2011 state election, Ficarra had met Merhi.
The coroner would try to "understand the man who walked into the Lindt cafe that morning", senior counsel assisting, Jeremy Gormly, said.
"You had the whip hand in the negotiations, as it were?" counsel assisting Geoffrey Watson said.
Counsel assisting, Greg O'Mahoney, told the witness he found it hard to believe "you forwarded on a complaint by someone you don't know, to people you don't know, about an entity you've never heard of".
Several times during the inquiry, Icac's assisting lawyer, Geoffrey Watson, said the senator, once a chief of staff to the former prime minister John Howard, had been paid more than $200,000 for about 100 hours of work a year.
A cabinet minute that was doctored in favour of AWH is part of the inquiry and, when Tripodi entered the witness box on Thursday, counsel assisting Icac, Geoffrey Watson SC, said the doctored minute "had the hand of Tripodi all over it".
Icac assisting counsel Geoffrey Watson repeatedly questioned Obeid about the alleged investment and he repeatedly denied knowledge of it.
"Do you see there's anything wrong with having a politician issue a press release based on proposed edits that would benefit your company?" counsel assisting the inquiry, Greg O'Mahoney, asked Di Girolamo.
Counsel assisting the commission, Geoffrey Watson, SC, closed his evidence by accusing Obeid of fabricating almost his entire testimony.
Under questioning from counsel assisting the commission, Ian Temby QC, the ex-MP's brother-in-law, John Abood, agreed that while he owned Circular Quay Restaurants Pty Ltd (CQPL) on paper the major owner was really an Obeid family trust.
Counsel assisting the commission, Geoffrey Watson, said he had been of the opinion that George had done nothing wrong.
