Jurors are being told former Common Councillor John Ferguson launched an attack on the pension board for political gain.
In a long opening statement, the lawyer for pension board Barry Morrison telling jurors the case is all about lies and deceit.
Morrison says Ferguson lied and deceived because he wanted to be mayor and kept information from his fellow Councillors while besmirching the reputations of the pension board trustees.
Morrison also maintains that Ferguson knew the facts but maliciously chose to ignore them for political gain.
He says the pension plan deficit in 2003 and 2004 was caused by a downturn in the stock market.