KUALA LUMPUR, 30 OCT – The High Court set a date of December 2 for former prime minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to defend himself on all 25 charges in the high-profile case involving 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds today.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah (who is now a Court of Appeal judge) set 97 days to hear the defense case starting from December 2 to November 7 next year.
Earlier in his decision, Judge Sequerah ordered Najib, 71, to defend himself on four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount after finding that the prosecution succeeded in proving a prima facie case against the former prime minister for all 25 charges at the end of the prosecution case.
“The court ordered the accused to defend himself against all charges,” said the judge.
Judge Sequerah then asked the court interpreter to explain to Najib that he had three options – testify under oath from the witness stand, give testimony without oath from the accused, or remain silent.
By giving sworn testimony, the accused will be subject to cross-examination by the prosecution, while with unsworn testimony, the court has to consider the statement and assess the weight of evidence that will not be subject to cross-examination. No evidence will be presented by the accused in his defense when the accused chooses to remain silent.
Najib, dressed in a dark blue suit, appeared calm in the dock as the judge read out the verdict, and said he chose to give sworn evidence from the witness stand.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor, Ahmad Akram Gharib asked the defense to prepare witness statements and present them before the trial resumed.
Najib, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds at the AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch in Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, between February 14, 2011 and December 19, 2014.
Najib was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act.
The former finance minister faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of either five times the value involved or RM10,000 or whichever is higher, if convicted.
For the 21 charges of money laundering, Najib is alleged to have committed the offense at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and August 30, 2013.
The charge was made under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorist Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001 which provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million or imprisonment for up to five years, or both, if convicted.
Najib is currently serving his sentence in Kajang Prison since 23 August 2022 after being convicted of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd.
Following his conviction, the former Pekan Member of Parliament submitted a petition for a royal pardon on 2 September 2022, which led to the reduction of the prison sentence from 12 years to six years, and the fine from RM210 million to RM50 million. – Named
