KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 11): Appointed prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram will take over the cross-examination on former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak today, the first defence witness in trial for the misappropriation of RM42 million in 1MDB's unit SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas said he expects to conclude his cross-examination on Najib by noon after grilling him all of yesterday.
This was the first time in the country's history that an AG has cross-examined a former premier.
Throughout the cross-examination, Najib maintained his innocence.
He reiterated that despite his agreement to a suggestion that the Retirement Fund Incorporated (KWAP) extends a RM2 billion loan to SRC, the decision still lay with KWAP's investment panel on whether to approve or reject the loan.
He also maintained that some of his signatures in several documents that have been tendered as evidence at the High Court were forged, hence the need to call in an expert witness.
In particular, he questioned the authenticity of his signature in 15 documents including the Minister of Finance Inc minutes to the SRC board, the AmBank transfer instructions and the 1MDB minutes instructions to the SRC board.
The former premier agreed that he had only seen some of these documents during the course of the trial, while others were shown to him when he was grilled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
He also clarified yesterday that the RM466,330.11 Chanel watch he bought for his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor was for her birthday and as a means to make up for cutting short their family holiday in Honolulu in the United States.
Najib is facing seven charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering of RM42 million in MoF Inc-owned SRC International. He was the prime minister and finance minister during the alleged incident.
The Edge is reporting the proceedings of the SRC trial live.