Najib 1MDB’s trials were postponed again, to allow him to assist Dewan Rakyat

KUALA LUMPUR: The trial of the two cases facing Najib Razak related to the 1MDB scandal initially scheduled for this week and next week has been postponed until January 2021.

Najib’s lawyer, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, told reporters today that she had asked the court to postpone the trial of the two cases, as her client had to attend Dewan Rakyat’s session until December 17.

“Therefore, the court agreed to set new dates for the trial that will start from January 4 to January 7 for the corruption case, and from January 18 to January 21 for the case of manipulation of the 1MDB audit report. “, said.

The trial of the corruption and money laundering case involving 2.3 billion ringgit before High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah was initially scheduled for December 14-17, and the defense would continue its questioning of former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman.

The trial of the 1MDB audit report tampering case, for which he was indicted along with former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, was initially scheduled for today and through Thursday before High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Other dates established by the court for the corruption case were January 25-27; February 2-4, 8-11, 5-18; April 5-8, 19-22 and 26-28; May 3-6, 17-20 and 24-27; June 1-3, 8-10, 21-24 and 28-30; as well as from July 5 to 8 of next year, while in the case of alteration of the audit report, the trial dates are established from February 22 to 24; March 8-11, April 5-8 and April 12-15.

Najib, 67, is on trial on corruption and money laundering charges involving RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds.

He is also on trial for using his post to order amendments to 1MDB’s final audit report that had already been “finalized” by the auditor general, before it was “finalized again” and presented to the Public Accounts Committee to prevent it from any action is taken. taken against him.

Meanwhile, Arul Kanda, 44, was charged with inciting Najib to make amendments to the report to protect the Pekan MP from being subjected to disciplinary, civil or criminal action in connection with 1MDB.