KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 (NNN-BERNAMA) — The high-profile trial of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is facing charges for corruption and money laundering involving RM2.3 billion in 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds, which was scheduled on May 18, has been adjourned to the next day to allow the former prime minister to attend the one-day sitting of the Dewan Rakyat.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had sent an email to the High Court last Friday to request for the new date.
“The defence’s application has been granted and the trial will resume on May 19 at 2 pm,” he said.
The trial which was widely reported had its last proceedings on March 13 before Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
The court had previously set March 19-20, 23-27 and 30-31; April 1-30; and May 4-8, 11-22, inclusive of Fridays to continue the trial.
Other dates fixed were the entire month of June, July, August, September and October, including Fridays.
However,the proceedings had been postponed for several times due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order by the government.
When hearing resumes, Najib’s defence counsel is expected to continue with cross-examination of the ninth prosecution witness, former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, who has been on the stand since Sept 23 last year.
Najib, 67, faces four charges of abusing his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.
— NNN-BERNAMA