SRC trial - Najib to know on Nov 11 whether to enter defence
NAJIB TRIAL | Najib Abdul Razak will know on Nov 11 whether he walks free or will be ordered to enter his defence on seven charges of abuse of power, corruption and money-laundering involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International.
This followed the Kuala Lumpur High Court fixing the date for its decision on the prosecution-stage of the case against the former prime minister and finance minister, 58 days after the hearing first began on April 3.
NAJIB TRIAL | Najib Abdul Razak will know on Nov 11 whether he walks free or will be ordered to enter his defence on seven charges of abuse of power, corruption and money-laundering involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International.
This followed the Kuala Lumpur High Court fixing the date for its decision on the prosecution-stage of the case against the former prime minister and finance minister, 58 days after the hearing first began on April 3.
The prosecution called a total of 57 witnesses over the course of the trial from Najib’s former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu to former second finance minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, among others.
Yu, who acted as the liaison between the former premier and the commercial bank in regards to his various bank accounts, testified that Najib spent RM606 million within three years from 2013.
Husni, meanwhile, admitted in court that he lied when he said his resignation as second finance minister in 2016 was not due to the 1MDB scandal, adding he did this because he wanted to protect then-premier Najib.
If judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali finds that the prosecution has established a prima facie case (meaning that the prosecution succeeds in establishing a sufficiently strong case that Najib needs to answer), then the court will order Najib to enter his defence against the charges.
However, if the judge rules that the prosecution has failed to prove a prima facie case on any of the seven charges, then Najib walks out a free man on Nov 11.
"Decision is on Nov 11, three weeks after clarification and final oral submissions.
"If there is no prima facie, the accused (Najib) will be acquitted. But if a prima facie case is found on any (of Najib's seven charges), the defence will be called," the judge ruled after the final witness, MACC investigating officer Rosli Hussain, wrapped up his testimony after seven days on the witness stand.
Nazlan has fixed oral submissions and clarifications for Oct 22 and tentatively on Oct 23 for both the prosecution and the defence.
He said that the two parties need to file their written submissions by Sept 24 and file their respective replies by Oct 15. The judge also set Dec 3 as the first day for the defence stage of the trial if Najib's defence is called.
"Dec 3 and 4 is the start (of the defence stage of hearing). Dec 9 to 12, then Dec 16 to 19," Nazlan said.
Earlier, Attorney-General Tommy Thomas offered 66 witnesses to Najib's defence team. Thomas did this while he was closing the prosecution's case following the completion of Rosli's testimony.
"Since the trial began on April 3, we have completed 57 witnesses. We would like to offer 66 witnesses to the defence should the defence be called. With that, I formally close the case for the prosecution," Thomas said.
Najib's lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah then raised the issue of whether all the 66 witnesses could be located.
He said the defence was concerned as Rosli during his testimony said the MACC had failed to locate a few of them.
It is understood that the issue of some allegedly missing witnesses would be raised again in the event that the court orders Najib to enter his defence.
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