LIVE: Najib to be in court to face new charges (1)

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak will appear at the Jalan Duta court complex in Kuala Lumpur again today to face at least three new charges for money laundering under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

Najib is expected to be charged at the Sessions Court and it is likely that the prosecution team will ask for the new cases to be transferred to the High Court as in his earlier four charges and for them to be brought before the same presiding judge for a joint trial.

Najib was called to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Academy at Jalan Duta yesterday afternoon where he was informed of the new charges.

Najib had already claimed trial on July 4 at the High Court to three counts for criminal breach of trust and one for abusing his power as finance minister and prime minister in relation to the RM42 million fund under SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

The three new charges, according to sources, are also in relation to SRC International.

For his earlier charges, Najib is facing a new High Court judge, Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.

It is also expected that the prosecution team, possibly led by attorney-general Tommy Thomas, will be handing over all related documents on the four charges to Najib's defence team, led by senior lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

Following that, the court is expected to fix trial dates for the case.

It is, however, unclear whether the prosecution would address the interim or temporary gag order that was granted by the previous High Court judge.

There have been calls among the legal circles for the gag order to be lifted or Shafee could apply for the gag order to be made permanent throughout the trial.

Najib is the highest ranked Malaysian politician in the country's history to face criminal charges.

Malaysiakini is bringing live the court proceedings inside and outside the court complex where security is expected to be very tight.

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LIVE REPORTS

8.55am: Rosmah Mansor's lawyers, K Kumaraendran and Geethan Ram Vincent, walk into the courtroom.

They are here to hold a watching brief for the wife of the former premier.

Also in court include the prosecution team, led by Attorney-General’s Chambers Trial and Appeals division head Mohd Hanafiah Zakaria, his deputy Ishak Mohd Yusoff, DPP Manoj Kurup as well as other senior officials.

A number of MACC officials are also present. Lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and his defence team have yet to arrive.

8.45am: Najib arrives at the Kuala Lumpur court complex in a white Toyota Vellfire.

Seen accompanying him were his children Nooryana Najwa and Noorashman.

Najib appears calm as he waved to his supporters and media.

He will first go up to the Sessions Court to face additional SRC International-linked charges before taken to the High Court.

8.30am: Outside and around the court complex, the media awaits Najib's arrival.

While Najib's first appearance in court here last month saw the photographers climbing up the pillars to take a better shot, this time, some were seen positioning themselves at a window on the first floor which overlooks the main entrance where Najib will be walking through.

Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam, who lost at the Sungai Kandis by-election on Saturday, is also expected to arrive to hold another solidarity gathering for Najib.

8.05am: Journalists covering the court proceeding are allowed to enter Sessions Court 9.

The judge for Sessions 9 is Azura Alwi.

Reporters and journalists are told to sit at the last two rows of the public gallery in the courtroom.

7.25am: Police begin distributing passes for media personnel. Security is tighter than before as police are giving separate special passes – one to cover the court case and another to cover the press conference.

This is probably to avoid the ruckus in the court complex when Najib was first charged last month.

Najib is expected to be charged at Sessions Court 9 which is located on the second floor of the Kuala Lumpur court complex.

He will then be brought to High Court 3 (criminal).

[More to follow] -Mkini