Najib on Trial: Live Updates (3)

KUALA LUMPUR: The historic trial of former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak begins Wednesday.

Najib, 66, faces three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of abusing his position, and three counts of money laundering over SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42mil.

Stay tuned here for developments.

5.10pm: Cross-examination has ended. Proceedings are about to end for the day as the court fixes the date to continue the trial.

4.50pm: Najib's lawyer Harvinderjit Singh starts cross-examination on the witness.

3.30pm: Muhamad Akmaludin is reading his witness statement from the stand and DPP Manoj Kurup is conducting the examination-in-chief.

The proceeding continues with markings of exhibits.

The hearing is expected to end by 5pm.

3:24pm: First prosecution witness, Muhamad Akmaludin Abdullah, 35, is called to the stand. He is an assistant registrar at the Companies Commission of Malaysia.

3:15pm: Thomas: "Evidence will also establish that in December 2014, the accused's credit card was charged US$130,625 for expenses made at Chanel, an exclusive fashion store in Honolulu.

"Evidence will establish that the personal cheques were issued for, among others, payment for renovation works carried out at the accused's residence at Jalan Langgak Duta and residence in Pekan, Pahang and cheques issued to various Barisan Nasional component political parties," adds Thomas.

"The burden is now on the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of the criminal charges preferred against him at this trial," says the AG.

3:07pm: Thomas in his opening speech says Najib is accused of offences committed during his time in office, when he also held the position of finance minister. These offences were committed during his time in both positions simultaneously, combining maximum political power.

2:53pm: Court interpreter reads the seven charges again to Najib.

2:50pm: Justice Mohd Nazlan dismisses Najib's application (that the CBT and abuse of position charges against Najib are defective) to have his motion to be heard today before the commencement of the trial.

"That can be heard at a later date," he said.

The court orders for the trial to start immediately.

2:45pm: Thomas objects, saying defence is using delaying tactics. "If they are saying something is wrong with the charges, they had ample time (to do so before). But certainly not this morning. There can be no other inference from this conduct other than (that) they are trying to delay the trial," he says.

2:43pm: Shafee says: "These are matters ought to be taken before trial starts before we call witnesses. We have filed a certificate of urgency this morning."

2:42pm: Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informs the court that defence has filed an application stating that the CBT and abuse of position charges against Najib are defective, and asks that the application be heard first. Attorney General Tommy Thomas objects.

The Prosecution:1. Attorney-General Tommy Thomas
2. Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah
3. Datuk V. Sithambaram
4. Manoj Kurup
5. Datuk Ishak Mohd Yusoff
6. Donald Joseph Franklin
7. Datuk Suhaimi Ibrahim
8. Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi
9. Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei
10. Budiman Lutfi Mohamed
11. Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul
12. Muhammad Izzat Fauzan

The Defence:1. Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah
2. Harvinderjit Singh
3. Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden
4. Datuk Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin
5. Farhan Read
6. Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohamed
7. Rahmat Hazlan
8. Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee
9. Tiara Katrina Fuad
10. Nur Syahirah Hanapiah
11. Zahira Eleena Redza

2:17pm: Clare Rewcastle Brown from the Sarawak Report has just arrived to observe the trial.

"I'm here to take in the flavour of the day, to get feedback and what the feeling is here in court. I'm here as a journalist, just doing my job," she said.

Asked how she felt about her website being blocked while Najib was in power, she replied, "It's nothing personal, I'm just here to see justice done"

2:10pm: Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali sits on the bench.

2:07pm: The trial is about to start and Najib takes his place in the dock.

2:02pm: Asked why there were so few supporters, they claim many were taken in by the "false accusations" and that civil servants were not allowed to attend.

2.00pm: When quizzed by the press, the supporters say they are from Pekan, and shout "BosKu" and "Hidup Najib". There's a commotion when someone starts making a loud speech. He is surrounded and taken away by the police.

1:59pm: Before Najib heads into the courtroom, some recite prayers for the former prime minister. He is not accompanied by his wife.

1:58pm: Najib's son Norashman Najib aka Ashman arrives.

1:56pm: Najib arrives in court room with his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. Upon arrival, he is greeted by about a dozen supporters.

1:54pm: 30 seats are allocated for both international and local media inside the High Court. Twenty other seats are available in a video link room on a first-come-first-serve basis.

1.50pm: The courtroom is filling up. Attorney General Tommy Thomas is here. However, there is no sign of lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee yet. - Star