THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has ordered former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to enter his defence to four charges of abuse of power and 21 charges of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion linked to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case for all 25 charges in the 1MDB trial against Najib.
He said that after evaluating all the evidence, he found that the prosecution had proven the ingredients of the charges.
This means the 71-year-old former finance minister will not be acquitted of the charges against him.
The judge gave Najib’s legal team three options: to testify under oath from the witness stand, where he can be cross-examined by prosecutors; to give his unsworn testimony from the accused dock, where he cannot be cross-examined; or to choose to remain silent.
Najib said he would testify from the witness stand.
Najib's defence team is led by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, along with Wan Mohammad Arfan Wan Othman and Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin.
A total of 50 witnesses testified during the prosecution’s case, which went on for 253 hearing days between Aug 28, 2019 and May 30 this year.
At around 8 am, at least 50 of Najib’s supporters were seen gathering outside the court complex and were heard shouting “Bebas Bossku!” briefly.
Among the key witnesses called to testify were former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh, former chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, and former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan.
Najib, 71, is facing four charges of abusing his position to obtain RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch on Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.
Najib is charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act.
The former finance minister faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of either five times the amount of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.
Najib is accused of committing money laundering offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013. - October 30, 2024
