KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Former Malaysian prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is facing seven charges of misappropriation of RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, will know his fate on Nov 11.
On that day, High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who presided over the trial, will make a decision whether to call Najib to enter his defence or to acquit him from the charges.
Justice Mohd Nazlan also fixed Dec 3 to 4, Dec 9 until 12 and Dec 16 to 19 for Najib to enter his defence if the court found that the prosecution has established a prima facie case against the accused.
Earlier, Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah proposed for the defence case to start in January next year as the defence team was engaged with Najib’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB)’s trial before another judge, which is scheduled to commence Wednesday until early November.
“We need elements of rest as well. We are also planning to have a break in December,” he said, adding that he also had a murder trial in Shah Alam.
However, Justice Mohd Nazlan said it would be quite late for the defence to start its case in January next year as the prosecution has closed its case in August (today).
“In fact, I am ready to hear the defence case if the defence call after November 11. January is quite late. At least we start first in early December,” said the judge.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafee also called on the prosecution to take action against an article which he claimed contemptuous regarding the trial.
“It is among the worst articles, with analysis and figure,” he said without disclosing the title and author of the article.
Before the proceedings ended, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas thanked Justice Mohd Nazlan for sitting through the trial, which spanned 58 days.
Najib, 66, who is also Pekan Member of Parliament, was first brought to the Sessions Court here on July 4, 2018, to face three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one count of abuse of power in connection with SRC funds totalling RM42 million.
On Aug 8, he was charged again in the Sessions Court on three counts of money laundering involving the same amount of the same funds. The case was later transferred to the High Court.
He is alleged to have committed all the offences between Aug 17, 2011, and Feb 10, 2015.
–NNN-BERNAMA