1MDB | The criminal trial against Najib Abdul Razak related to 1MDB will commence this Aug 19 irrespective of whether or not the SRC International hearing against the former premier has finished by then.
High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah this morning rejected an application by government prosecutors to further push the 1MDB trial dates as the SRC International case was nowhere near its end.
This is the third time the prosecution had asked Collin to postpone 1MDB hearing dates to make way for the trial of seven charges against Najib for abuse of power, corruption and money laundering.
The case mention before Collin this morning started with Attorney-General Tommy Thomas submitting the prosecution's application for the court to consider adjourning the 1MDB trial, or the Tanore trial as they call it.
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Thomas told the court that they have informed Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is hearing the SRC International trial, that the case might not be completed by Aug 15.
Aug 15 is the date where SRC International hearing was expected to be concluded, for which Collin had postponed the Tanore case for the second time and set the following week (Aug 19) for it to commence.
Nazlan had agreed to vacate further dates to accommodate the trial (SRC International), according to Thomas.
"We suggested to Justice Nazlan to continue with SRC International hearing from Sept 3 to Sept 30, which Justice Nazlan said, "yes".
"Come to October, he (Nazlan) said he would prefer to hear the case involving Isa Samad, and then (Nazlan agreed for) Nov as the next dates.
"These are the dates (agreed by Nazlan). And of course, we told his lordship that we will come back to him after asking your lordship (Collin)," Thomas said in his submission.
The AG added that it would be difficult for trial number two (referring to the Tanore case) to start before the first case against Najib was completed in court.
Thomas's application was then supported by lead defence attorney Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who told the court that similar application before Collin before this was approved by the judge based on policy and to ensure that SRC International hearing is finished first before Tanore is heard by the court.
However, Collin, who appeared to be upset with the third postponement application, told Shafee that such circumstances might not hold true this time.
"I am not willing to wait. If you have nothing to submit, I will make my decision," said Collin.
Shafee then continued with his submission, appearing to try to convince the judge into allowing the prosecution's application.
Collin then made his ruling where he rejected the prosecution's application.
"After hearing both parties and taking into account that this is the third application by the prosecution, this application is rejected.
"The hearing (into Tanore case) will commence this Aug 19, at 9am," the judge ruled.
With the ruling, the 1MDB case will be heard before Collin on these dates:
- August: 19 to 22, 26 to 29
- September:3 to 5, 10 to 12, 17 to 19, 23 to 26, 30
- October: 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 14 to 17, 21 to 24, 29 to 31
- November: 4 to 7, 11 to 14
-Mkini
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