Two trials affect defence's preparation 'tremendously' - Shafee
LIVE | The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak for 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering of 1MDB funds enters its first day today at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings...
LIVE | The criminal trial of former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak for 25 counts of abuse of power and money laundering of 1MDB funds is scheduled to start today but a postponement is expected due to another graft trial and technicalities to iron out.
Malaysiakini brings you live reports of the proceedings.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Two trials affect defence's preparation 'tremendously' - Shafee
- 1MDB trial to start next Monday, judge rules
- Najib enters court
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Reporting by Hariz Mohd and Hidir Reduan Abdul Rashid. Photographs by Azneal Ishak. Social media updates by Ewe Linq Yenn.
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Two trials affect defence's preparation 'tremendously' - Shafee
10.15am - The juggling of Najib Abdul Razak's RM2.28 billion 1MDB trial and his RM42 million SRC International trial has affected the defence's ability to prepare its case "tremendously".
The former prime minister's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (photo) says that this is because handling two concurrent trials involving the same client is not the equivalent of the lawyers walking from one court to another.
"We have to prepare our defence at home, prepare for written submission and for cross-examination.
"With all due respect, it is not like doctors, who come to the clinic, see patient, treat patient, they do not take the patient home.
"Lawyers literally take their work home. Sometimes we do not sleep. With the SRC trial alone, many of us lack sleep.
"To add another one (1MDB trial to run concurrently with SRC trial) may compromise our ability to do our best defence," Shafee tells the media after proceedings.
1MDB trial to start next Monday, judge rules
9.45am - The 1MDB trial of former premier Najib Abdul Razak has been adjourned to next Monday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court rules.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah makes the decision after hearing from both prosecutors and defence lawyers that the trial cannot commence today due to several reasons.
Among the issues cited by deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram (photo) include the defence's statutory right to have at least 14 days to study witness statements, which the prosecution only managed to serve on the defence last Friday.
Sri Ram also cited the fact that the prosecution's case in the SRC International trial is nearing its conclusion.
Sequerah also set this Thursday for case management, saying that he is ready to listen to prosecutors and defence lawyers on their readiness to start the trial by Monday.
He then orders the prosecution to ready their opening statement and formal witnesses court by that date.
Najib enters court
9.23am - Proceedings begin.
9am - The accused, Najib Abdul Razak, enters the court and takes a seat at the front row of the public gallery.
Lead prosecutor, former judge Gopal Sri Ram, is also seen in court with other members of the prosecution – Ahmad Akram Gharibz Mohammad Mustaffa P Kunyalam, T Deepa Nairz Nadia Mohd Izhar, Najwa Bistamam, Hazmida Harris Lee, and Tan Song Yan.
The former premier's lawyers are also present.
Nearly a year after being charged, the trial of former premier Najib Abdul Razak for abusing power and laundering RM2.28 billion in 1MDB funds is set to begin today.
Following multiple failed attempts at postponement, the hearing is scheduled to start before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah (photo) at 9am.
The 1MDB matter involves the largest set of charges against Najib, with the 25 counts linked to the 1MDB scandal, particularly the RM2.6 billion donation he claims to have received.
Four charges are for abusing his position to obtain RM2.28 billion from 1MDB.
The remaining 21 charges are for money laundering via receiving, spending and returning the RM2.08 billion donation (as it was valued at the time) from Tanore Finance Corporation.
However, it is understood that the prosecution, with the support of the defence team, will try to apply for the trial be rescheduled.
Among reasons that may be cited are to allow for the RM42 million SRC International trial before Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali to be completed with the testimony of the final prosecution witness, MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain.
Additionally, the prosecution only managed to serve the statements of the witnesses in the 1MDB case on the defence last Friday.
Under the Criminal Procedure Code, witness statements are to be served on the defence no later than 14 days prior to trial, unless agreed to by both parties.
Depending on the outcome of the application before Sequerah, Najib's defence team will appear before Nazlan today to inform him of progress, with the possibility that the SRC case may even proceed today.
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