KUALA LUMPUR – Lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is down with a high fever and sore throat, “sounding like Sean Connery”, fellow defence lawyer Rahmat Hazlan told the high court here today.
With this, judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan vacated the trial involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) president Arul Kanda Kandasamy, reported the New Straits Times.
Zaini reportedly said: “Connery is longer around…it is not a good example. How long do you think he (Shafee) is going to be indisposed? I will adjourn for today and I hope he recovers well.”
Meanwhile, Bernama reported that deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the prosecution had no objection to the postponement.
The court then set Friday to hear oral submissions from both parties on the prosecution's application to call Najib’s co-accused, Arul Kanda, as their witness.
Najib’s various 1MDB-linked corruption trials have already been postponed several times due to illnesses suffered by Najib, lawyers and witnesses.
In March 2019, Najib’s trial involving SRC International was postponed when Shafee told the court that he had fractured his hand after being pushed over by one of his guard dogs at his home.
In November 2019, in Najib’s separate 1MDB graft trial, Shafee and one of the prosecution’s witnesses called in sick, causing the trial to be adjourned.
In May 2021, Najib was on sick leave due to eye surgery, and his 1MDB corruption trial was postponed yet again.
The court today was supposed to hear oral submissions from both sides over calling Arul Kanda as a prosecution witness.
Senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram previously said Arul Kanda might have the information in relation to transactions with Najib, which would affect the outcome of the prosecution of the former finance minister.
In response to the application, Shafee said although the application had been formally made to the court, the prosecution had to meet the requirements of the law.
Lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan, who is representing Arul Kanda, said he will not be making any submission and will leave the matter to the court’s discretion.
Najib, 68, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action being taken against him, while Arul Kanda, 45, is charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments to the report, to protect Najib from being subjected to action.
The offence was allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Department Complex, Federal Government Administrative Centre, Federal Territory of Putrajaya between February 22 and February 26, 2016.
Both of them were charged under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction. – The Vibes, May 30, 2022
