Step up, complete questioning of witnesses, judge tells Najib’s lawyer

 

Najib Razak is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering of RM2.28 billion in funds said to belong to 1MDB.

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court judge in Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial has told the former prime minister’s lawyer to “step up” his game and complete the defence team’s cross-examination of several prosecution witnesses.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohamad needed to conduct the defence’s cross-examination of witnesses in lead counsel Shafee Abdullah’s absence.

This came after the court was told that Shafee had to appear in another case also fixed for today.

“You (Wan Aizuddin) are more than capable. You did cross-examine other witnesses (previously).

-ADVERTISEMENT-

Ads by 

“I cannot accede anymore to your request (to reserve) cross-examination,” Sequerah said, adding that three prosecution witnesses – Lim Chi Hian, Cheah Tek Kuang and Yap Wai Keat – have yet to complete their testimonies because of Shafee’s absence.

Sequerah was responding to a request by Aizuddin for former AmInvestment Bank’s managing director, Kok Tuck Cheong, to be held over until Shafee returns.

That exchange came after Kok’s evidence-in-chief, in which he gave details of how AmBank came into the picture to manage Terengganu Investment Authority’s (TIA) RM5 billion Islamic bonds issuance in 2009.

In response, ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram told the court the prosecution was not able to call new witnesses because Lim, Cheah, Yap and Kok were still on the witness stand.

“We have witnesses that have been stacked up. We all have to adjust ourselves (in managing other cases along with 1MDB),” he said.

Aizuddin then said he took note of the court’s warning and will act accordingly.

Last week, the defence informed the court that Shafee was down with a fever, prompting the hearing to be put off. Both Cheah and Yap were supposed to complete their testimonies this week.

Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering over alleged 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014. - FMT