KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s two trials relating to the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) scandal initially scheduled for this week and next week has been postponed to next month.
Najib’s lawyer, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, told reporters today that she had applied for the trials to be postponed as her client, who is Pekan MP, has to attend the Dewan Rakyat sitting until December 17.
“The court agreed to set new dates for the trial starting January 4 to 7 for the corruption case, and from January 18 to 21 for the 1MDB audit report tampering case,” she said.
The trial of the corruption and money laundering case involving RM2.3 billion before high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah was initially scheduled from December 14 to 17, with the defence to continue their cross-examination on former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman.
The trial of the 1MDB audit report tampering case, which Najib was charged with former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was initially scheduled for today till Thursday before high court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.
Najib, 67, is on trial for corruption and money laundering charges involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.
He is also on trial for using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report that had already been “finalised” by the auditor-general, before it was “finalised again” and presented before the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action being taken against him.
Meanwhile, Arul Kanda, 44, was charged with abetting Najib in making amendments to the report to protect the former prime minister from being subjected to disciplinary, civil or criminal action in connection with 1MDB. – Bernama, December 7, 2020
