Najib and Irwan's IPIC-related charges transferred to High Court

All three of former premier Najib Abdul Razak's criminal cases will now be heard at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

This comes after Judicial Commissioner Rozana Ali Yusoff today consented to Najib's application to transfer his case involving charges for criminal breach of trust over the alleged misappropriation of government funds to repay the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC) to the High Court.

"The court allows the transfer application under Section 417(1)(e) of the Criminal Procedure Code (to expedite the case to meet the ends of justice)," she said.

Najib had made the application to transfer the case in which he is jointly charged with former Treasury secretary-general, Irwan Serigar Abdullah, on Nov 23.

His lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the court that two of his client's earlier cases had already been transferred to the High Court.

Irwan's lawyer K Kumaraendran told the court that his client had no objection of the transfer.

DPP Jamil Aripin, who led the prosecution team, did not object to the application as long as it was made under Section 417(1)(e) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

It was reported that Najib and Irwan were jointly charged with six criminal breaches of trust charges in relation to US$1.2 billion (RM6.6 billion) in government funds.

They were alleged to have committed all the offences at the Finance Ministry in Putrajaya between Dec 21, 2016 and Dec 18, 2017.

If convicted under Section 409 of the Penal Code, Najib and Irwan stand to face a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, whipping, and a fine.

However, as both men are over 50 years of age, the whipping punishment does not apply.

Alleged redirection of gov't funds

In 2015, Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund IPIC agreed to lend US$1 billion to 1MDB, which at the time was struggling to pay back its bank loans.

The deal later turned sour, and IPIC backed out from the deal and demanded its money back.

1MDB and IPIC reached a settlement in April 2017, which saw the Malaysian firm pay back US$1 billion, plus RM200 million in interest.

After Najib and Irwan were charged, MACC deputy chief commissioner Azam Baki later stated that Najib's administration allegedly redirected government funds, including those meant for the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) programme, to repay money owed by 1MDB to IPIC.

Meanwhile, Najib's charges in relation to SRC International Sdn Bhd is now fixed for hearing before High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali in February next year.

Additionally, the former premier's trial involving 25 charges for money laundering in relation to 1MDB is now fixed before Justice Colin Lawrence Sequerah in April.

Rozina will fix a mention date later, to possibly set a trial date in relation to this case.

Earlier, both Najib and Irwan were at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before Justice Azman Ahmad for case management, where the parties informed that Najib had applied to transfer the case to the High Court. - Mkini