KUALA LUMPUR (March 11): After more than 90 days of trial, can the Datuk Seri Najib Razak's SRC International Sdn Bhd trial finally close its case today?
This is the question that will loom over proceedings when the last defence witness, Tan Sri Dzulkifli Ahmad, who headed the anti-money laundering division at the Attorney General Chambers before rising to the chief commissioner of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) post.
The prosecution, led by ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram, is scheduled to cross-examine Dzulkifli today.
Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah has indicated that after Dzulkifli concludes his testimony, the defence may recall MACC assistant commissioner Rosli Hussain who was the investigating officer in the SRC case.
However, before the SRC proceedings can begin today, the former premier must first appear before High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah, who presides over the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial, to update the judge on the latest developments.
Justice Sequerah has indicated that he does not want the trial, which was last heard on Nov 13, to be delayed any further.
However, should the judge allow an adjournment today, and Najib's defence closes its case, SRC trial judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali can then fix dates for submissions in the case and the delivery of his verdict.
To recap, Dzulkifli had testified yesterday that former MACC chief commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim had recommended to then-Attorney General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail to file charges against Najib, despite the fact that investigations had not been completed while statements from various key witnesses, including the Pekan MP himself, had yet to be taken.
He had viewed the proposal as improper, and concurred with Gani's successor Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali's decision not to charge Najib, because according to him, the investigations showed that the former premier had no knowledge of the fransactions.
The Edge is reporting the proceedings of the SRC trial live.