Shafee on MC, Najib's 1MDB audit trial to resume on Aug 12

 

Najib Abdul Razak’s defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah this morning was diagnosed with laryngitis, a medical condition when the voice box or vocal cords in the throat become irritated or swollen.

As a result, the former prime minister’s 1MDB audit report trial this afternoon was vacated, and would only resume on Aug 12.

Co-defence counsel Rahmat Hazlan confirmed that proceedings before the Kuala Lumpur High Court were vacated.

“Yes, it has been vacated as Shafee (above) has laryngitis. The next trial date is Aug 12 (before trial judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan),” the lawyer said when contacted by the media.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam also confirmed that Najib’s lead defence counsel was unwell, thus the proceedings were vacated.

Today was initially set for Shafee to resume cross-examination of former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy, who was permitted by the court to turn star witness for the prosecution.

Upon taking the witness stand, Arul Kanda testified, among others, that the original copy of the 1MDB audit report would have been sent to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) if not for a meeting on Feb 24, 2016.

Najib is charged with using his position to order amendments to 1MDB’s final audit report before it was presented to the PAC to prevent any action against him.

Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making the amendments.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak

The charges are framed under Section 23 (1) of the MACC Act 2009, which specifies a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

The prosecution contended that following the 2016 meeting, a decision was made to remove or alter certain portions of the 1MDB audit report, including dropping the presence of wanted fugitive Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) at the fund’s board meetings.

Another issue that was allegedly dropped from the 1MDB audit report was the two conflicting 2014 financial statements of the sovereign wealth fund.

Besides then chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa and Arul Kanda, others who were present at the meeting were former auditor-general Ambrin Buang, former National Audit Department officer Saadatul Nafisah Bashir Ahmad, Najib’s former principal private secretary Shukry Salleh, and then Attorney-General’s Chambers representative Dzulkifli Ahmad. - Mkini