KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is set to testify as a prosecution witness at Tan Sri Shahrir Samad’s trial for money-laundering charges on January 5, the high court here heard today.
The former Pekan MP was scheduled to testify today but was unable to proceed as he had not prepared his witness statement.
During questioning by deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Azmi, Najib, who appeared briefly in the witness stand, confirmed that his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was currently out of town and unavailable to help with preparing the witness statement.
Rasyidah: For the benefit of the court, can we know where Tan Sri Shafee is?
Najib: He is not in town. That is why he is unable to be present here.
Rasyidah then asked the court for a new date for Najib to testify, while Shahrir’s lawyer, Datuk Syed Faisal Al-Edros Syed Abdullah Al-Edros, did not object.
Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin then asked Najib for confirmation that he was not ready to give his statement today, to which he answered in the affirmative.
Jamil set for Najib to give his statement to the court on January 5.
Shahrir, 72, is facing a money-laundering charge by not stating his real income for the 2013 assessment year – which is a violation of Section 113(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 – on the RM1 million believed to be from unlawful activities, which he received from Najib.
He was charged with committing the offence at the Inland Revenue Board, Duta Branch, Government Office Complex, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, here on April 25, 2014.
The charge, under Section 4(1) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, provides imprisonment for up to five years or a fine of RM5 million or both, if convicted. – The Vibes, December 22, 2022
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