LIVE REPORTS | It is set to be a busy day for former first couple Najib Abdul Razak and wife Rosmah Mansor at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex as both are set to make appearances in different courts.
Najib will be brought to the High Court for the case mention for his abuse of power, criminal breach of trust and money-laundering charges.
Rosmah, meanwhile, will be in court for the first time where she is expected to be slapped with some 17 money-laundering charges in relation to 1MDB.
Rosmah, who was detained last night at Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) headquarters after several hours of questioning, is set to be brought to the court complex at 8am.
Malaysiakini is bringing live the court proceedings inside and outside the court complex.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Rosmah expected to be hit with 17 charges
- Najib arrives in court
- Rosmah arrives in court, smiling and waving
- Journalists begin lining up to obtain limited passes to cover both cases inside the public galleries
Both courts convenes
9.17am: Rosmah's case, Sessions Court - Sessions court convenes as Judge Azura Alwi enters.
Rosmah is brought into the dock. Those in attendance stand up to bow to Azura.
MACC deputy commissioner Azam Baki arrives and is seated at the public gallery.
9.07am: Najib's case, High Court - Lead prosecutor Sulaiman Abdullah introduces all the parties.
He says prosecution will raise three issues, among them, the serving of documents under Section 51A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Section 51A requires prosecution to reveal information and disclose documents that would form part of it's case to the defence before the trial commences.
Sulaiman says prosecution has tried to do so but could not.
Najib's counsel Shafee then says that last Aug 8, Najib was given a CD Rom containing the documents.
He adds that prosecution handed another CD Rom yesterday as Najib was visiting Rosmah.
"This is not proper as they have to hand in documents and not CD Roms," the lawyer tells the court.
9.05am: Rosmah's case, Sessions Court - A court interpreter asks if those in attendance are ready, and announces that proceedings will begin at 9.15am.
Lawyers for both parties are already present, including Gopal Sri Ram who is leading the prosecution, and K Kumaraendran who is leading Rosmah's defence team.
Najib, Rosmah arrives in good spirit
9.06am: High Court - Najib enters the courtroom from the witness room.
Interpreter advises all parties to get ready with Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali presiding.
8.52am: Najib's lawyers are slowly entering the courtroom, led by Muhammad Shafee and Havinderjit Singh.
The former premier is believed to be waiting at the High Court witness room.
8.41am: Kuala Lumpur Court Complex - Najib arrives not long after his wife did.
Accompanied by a bodyguard, he steps out from a black car, smartly dressed in a light blue shirt and dark blue coat.
He, too, looks calm and smiles as he enters the courthouse.
Meanwhile, Umno supreme council member Lokman Adam Mohd Noor is waiting outside the complex.
He says he is here to show support to both Rosmah and Najib.
He wants to speak with the media, but is stopped by the police due to Najib's arrival.
8.30am: Rosmah arrives at the court complex. Dressed in an orange baju kurung, she is seen accompanied by her lawyer K Kumaraendran.
Media and members of the public immediately rush forward and surround her.
She is being protected by police and looks calm, smiling and waving as she is led into the court complex.
Her supporters yell out "Datin, Datin!"
Rosmah on the way to court
8.20am: Putrajaya - The Star reports that Rosmah is en route to the court complex, having left MACC headquarters here at 7.45am.
She is reportedly travelling in a black Toyota Alphard and is being escorted by police and MACC officers.
8.20am: Kuala Lumpur Court Complex - Meanwhile at Sessions Court, media personnel are allowed to enter Judge Azura's court.
Court staff are seen busy bringing in extra benches into the public gallery. The first row is reserved for MACC personnel, while the second row is reserved for members of Rosmah's family.
As with the High Court, the last two rows are reserved for media personnel.
8.19am: Najib's supporters are already gathering in front of complex.
One of the supporters, identified only as Rash, is seen wearing a bandana with a Najib sticker on it and with the words "stop the misuse of AMLA (Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001)".
Police ask him to take it off. He says he is here to protest peacefully, but removes the scarf anyway.
The latter says more of the supporters will come later.
8.15am - Journalists are finally allowed to enter High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan's court.
Already in court are - appointed prosecutor Sulaiman, and the rest of the prosecuting team, including head of prosecution Manoj Kurup and deputy Ishak Mohd Salleh, from the Attorney-General's Chambers.
The first two rows of the bench in the public gallery in Najib's case are reserved for family members while the last two benches are for the media.
The media waits
8am: Kuala Lumpur Court Complex - The proceeding for Najib's case will be on the fifth floor of the court complex, while Rosmah's will take place on the second floor at the Sessions Court.
Prosecutors for Najib's case, meanwhile, are already seated inside the courtroom, having entered through a side entrance.
The prosecutors', or DPP's office is also located on the fifth floor.
7am - Media personnel, both local and international, have begun queueing up to obtain passes to be able to enter the courtrooms to cover the two cases, as limited passes are being given out.
They are forming two long rows, one for those covering Rosmah's case and another for Najib's, under the watchful eye of up to 10 security personnel.
Rosmah will be represented by lawyers K Kumaraendran and Geethan Ram Vincent.
Najib, meanwhile, will be represented by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, the latter himself subject to charges related to money-laundering and making false statements.
Former federal court judge Gopal Sri Ram is expected to lead the prosecution for Rosmah's case, while this is to be the first appearance for former Bar chairperson and senior lawyer Sulaiman Abdullah.
Sulaiman, like Sri Ram, was appointed by attorney-general Tommy Thomas to lead the case. -Mkini
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