Court warns Najib over FB post 'attacking' Zeti

1MDB TRIAL | The High Court has warned Najib Abdul Razak to refrain from attacking prosecution witness and former Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz on social media.

Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah issued the warning during the former premier's RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial in Kuala Lumpur this morning.

The warning followed submissions by DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib and lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah earlier.

On Jan 5, the prosecution applied for the court to issue a warning to Najib over his Facebook post on 1MDB-linked allegations against Zeti.

The complaint was over a Dec 29 post last year, which contained claims against Zeti and her family in relation to 1MDB funds.

Following this, Zeti issued a media statement on Dec 31 refuting the allegations.

In a brief ruling, Sequerah said the previous statements made by Zeti did not justify the accused's action to upload the post.

"The accused cannot make a statement as though conducting a trial through the public domain. No statement can be issued in respect against the trial.

"The accused's statement amounted to an attack on the prosecution witness.

"The court issues a stern warning to the accused not to repeat the action in order to preserve the integrity of the trial," he told Najib who was in the dock.

After the ruling, Shafee applied for the proceedings to be postponed to another date.

The lawyer said this is because he has to visit a hand surgeon to help him prepare for an operation on his right wrist.

Sequerah then adjourned the proceedings and fixed Feb 8 for the trial to resume.

Met by the media after the proceedings, Shafee said the defence would not be appealing against the warning.

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.28 billion of 1MDB's funds.

Apart from helming the nation's top post, the accused was also the finance minister and chairperson of the board of advisers of 1MDB at the time.

1MDB was fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc).

Earlier, Akram told the court that a warning should be issued against Najib because the accused's FB post could amount to interference in the due course of justice.

The DPP said prior to the Dec 29 post, the accused already knew that Zeti would be the 26th prosecution witness.

"The accused, knowing that Zeti is a witness for the prosecution, has attacked her credibility and brought her character into odium and contempt by way of his Facebook postings.

"It is submitted with respect that it is not open to the accused to conduct his defence, particularly attacking witnesses for the prosecution, by means of social media.

"His conduct in all circumstances of the case undermines the administration of justice," he added.

However, Shafee countered that Najib's Dec 29 posting was a valid response to Zeti's alleged statements made to the media much earlier.

The lawyer said among these alleged statements was the one released to the media on July 3, 2018, a day before Najib was charged with regard to the separate RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

Shafee claimed that Najib's FB post had merely asked Zeti for the truth behind the 1MDB-linked allegations.

"The prosecution’s application which (posited that) Zeti was sitting quietly and my client (Najib) attacked (first) is wrong as Zeti made the (much earlier) statement and my client had to respond," he argued.

"He (Najib) did not cast the first stone," the lawyer contended.

Ex-CEO: 1MDB was set up to fund Umno-linked companies

Najib fails to be excused from 1MDB trial to visit flood-hit Pahang

Umno’s appeal for return of 1MDB-linked RM116.7m fixed on Jan 6

Najib claims RM42m SRC trial 'unfair' - court filing