Friday 29 Mar 2024
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This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on November 1, 2018

KUALA LUMPUR: Case management of charges against former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak involving misappropriation of funds from the 1MDB state investment fund and its former unit SRC International Sdn Bhd has been set for Nov 29.

This was decided by High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, after he allowed Najib’s application for one of the two cases, comprising 25 charges related to the transfer of RM2.3 billion through the ex-premier’s personal account, to be transferred from the Sessions Court to the High Court.

In allowing the transfer, Justice Nazlan said he took into consideration the keen public interest in the case and the high value involved. He also noted that the other case — comprising seven charges involving RM42 million in SRC International — has also been transferred to the High Court from the Sessions Court previously.

On a related matter, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim has yet to give a decision on the request by the prosecution, led by former Malaysian Bar president Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah, for the two cases to be heard in Putrajaya instead of Kuala Lumpur.

Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the lead defence counsel for Najib, told the High Court yesterday that he had submitted a letter to Zaharah opposing Sulaiman’s request.

On another matter, Justice Nazlan allowed Muhammad Shafee to file an application to compel Sulaiman to show the court and the defence team the fiat appointing him as a deputy public prosecutor, that was issued to him by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, by Nov 5.

Sulaiman confirmed that the prosecution and defence met at a pre-trial conference on Oct 29, and both are in the midst of finalising documents in relation to the cases.

As the defence has obtained all documents from the prosecution as provided for under Section 51(A) of the Criminal Procedure Code, Muhammad Shafee is now due to pass to the prosecution, the defence statement and copies of documents that the defence intends to rely on, under Section 62 of the MACC Act.

Justice Nazlan instructed the prosecution and defence to submit their written submissions by Nov 27, two days before the next case management.

Najib, 65, was in court yesterday, accompanied by his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and surrounded by police escorts and his supporters.

Outside the court, Muhammad Shafee said he supported a suggestion by reporters that Najib’s trials be aired live on television.

“I think it is a good idea. Let the people know what the trial is all about,” he said.

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