Najib's RM2.28b 1MDB trial to resume on July 5

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak’s RM2.28 billion 1MDB corruption trial will resume on July 5.

This followed on the heels of the initially scheduled hearing of the case, before the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday, being vacated due to the ongoing total lockdown movement control order (MCO 3.0).

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib confirmed this morning that the court, having vacated the hearing for this week, has decided for the trial to resume on July 5.

Previously, the court had set today for the continued hearing of Najib’s corruption charges, following earlier postponements due to the total lockdown.

During the total lockdown period, open-court trials of criminal cases are generally not allowed.

“We received an email yesterday afternoon informing us that the case fixed for this week has been vacated.

“So, according to the schedule, our next dates will be from July 5 to 8,” Akram told Malaysiakini this morning.

The case was last heard before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah on May 27.

Through testimony given during the proceedings on that day, 10th prosecution witness and former 1MDB CEO Mohd Hazem Abdul Rahman claimed that the sovereign wealth fund’s board of directors was involved in a ‘sandiwara’ (charade) to keep off the official record that the fund’s overseas monies belonged to Umno.

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.

Besides being the former prime minister, the accused also used to be the finance minister and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.

1MDB is wholly owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MOF Inc). - Mkini