The Kuala Lumpur High Court is set to hear Najib Abdul Razak's charges linked to SRC International Sdn Bhd this afternoon. The case is scheduled to start at 2pm.
This is the first time a former Malaysian prime minister will stand in the accused dock for a criminal hearing.
Coincidentally, Najib became the sixth prime minister on this day exactly10 years ago.
However, his lawyers are expected to request for another deferral as the Federal Court has set tomorrow to hear Najib’s application for the apex court to review its decision to lift the stay on the trial.
On March 27, a seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Richard Malanjum set aside the stay granted by the Court of Appeal to suspend the trial. This allowed for the proceedings to commence this afternoon.
On Monday, the former premier filed an application for the Federal Court to review this decision.
Tomorrow, the Federal Court would also hear Najib's three appeals, namely his request for additional documents to prepare his defence, a gag order to prevent the media and public from discussing his case and a challenge against the constitutionality of a certificate to transfer seven cases from the Sessions Court to the High Court.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one count of abuse of power relating to RM42 million involving SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB.
He also faces three counts of money laundering with regard to the RM42 million. Najib has claimed trial to all the charges, which were brought against him last year.
Besides the seven charges which he is expected to face today, Najib was slapped with three additional counts of money laundering with regard to RM47 million in funds, also linked to SRC International, on Feb 8.
Should his trial proceed as scheduled, it would be presided over by High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, with the prosecution having prepared three witnesses.
It is expected to start with Attorney-General Tommy Thomas delivering the prosecution's opening statement.
Eleven other members of the prosecution team are V Sithambaram, Manoj Kurup, Sulaiman Abdullah, Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Suhaimi Ibrahim, Donald Joseph Franklin, Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi, Budiman Lutfi Mohamed, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul and Muhammad Izzat Fauzan.
The defence counsel, meanwhile, comprises Muhammad Shafee Abdullah as the lead counsel, Harvinderjit Singh, Farhan Read, Rahmat Hazlan, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, Syahirah Hanapiah and Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed.
-Mkini
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