KUALA LUMPUR: Three high-profile corruption trials, including that of Najib Razak, have been postponed because of the conditional movement control order (CMCO), although the prosecution is racing to close the cases by year-end.
In a statement, the Office of the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court said the hearing of civil and criminal cases in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya would be suspended during the two-week CMCO period from today until Oct 27.
Najib’s 1MDB audit report trial was to continue in the High Court today but has been adjourned to Nov 30. The prosecution will be calling 11 more witnesses before it closes its case.
“Except for two or three, the rest of the witnesses are expected to give short testimonies,” ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told FMT.
So far, seven witnesses, including National Audit Department director Nor Salwani Muhammad, have testified since the hearing began last November.
Najib is standing trial on a charge of abuse of power in order to obtain immunity from legal action and causing amendments to the finalised 1MDB audit report before it was tabled for scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee, while former 1MBD CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy is accused of abetting him.
Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial, scheduled to resume on Oct 20, has also been adjourned to Oct 28.
Sri Ram said former education minister Mahdzir Khalid was to be produced on Oct 20 to be cross-examined by the defence and the prosecution is to tender a recording of the accused’s conversation with her husband, Najib.
Rosmah is charged with three counts of corruption for soliciting RM187.5 million from Saidi Abang Samsudin, the former managing director of Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd, as an inducement to help the company secure the RM1.25 billion solar project through direct negotiations.
She is also accused of receiving bribes amounting to RM6.5 million from Saidi in 2016 and 2017.
The trial started in February and the prosecution is on the verge of closing its case after calling 21 witnesses.
“Depending on the judge’s decision on the admissibility of the recording, if necessary we will call more witnesses,” Sri Ram said.
Former deputy prime minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s corruption case, scheduled to continue today, was also taken off the list and will resume on Oct 28.
On Monday, trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah expressed hope the prosecution could close its case by the year-end.
The trial started last November with 90 prosecution witnesses having given evidence with eight more to go.
Taking the cue from the judge, the prosecution and defence had agreed to an additional five hearing dates next month.
The Umno president’s trial was also disrupted on two occasions last month as he had to be quarantined after coming in close contact with persons who tested positive for Covid-19.
Zahid is facing 12 charges of criminal breach of trust, eight for corruption and 27 for money laundering, totalling RM117 million. - FMT
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