Prosecution closes RM2.27b 1MDB case against Najib

 

1MDB TRIAL | The prosecution today closed its case in the RM2.27 billion 1MDB power abuse and money laundering case against Najib Abdul Razak, six years since the former prime minister was first charged in late 2018.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib this afternoon informed the Kuala Lumpur High Court that prosecutors have closed the case after 50 witnesses took the stand for the prosecution.

“As there are no more witnesses to be called by the prosecution and no other cross-examination by the defence, I would like to close the prosecution’s case.

“After a long time, after 235 trial days in the span of six years and 50 prosecution witnesses, the prosecution would like to offer these witnesses (in a written list) to the defence (in the defence stage of trial if Najib’s defence is called),” Akram informed trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

The judge then set Aug 19 to 22 for oral submissions (which will involve no witnesses, only oral arguments by the prosecution and defence). The criminal court would set a later date to deliver its verdict on whether Najib needs to enter his defence to the 25 charges.

Prosecutors claimed that Najib received RM2.27 billion misappropriated from troubled Malaysian sovereign wealth fund 1MDB between 2011 and 2014.

However, Najib’s defence team contended that the former premier had no knowledge of any wrongdoing at 1MDB and any wrongdoing that may have happened was solely masterminded by fugitive businessperson Low Taek Jho (Jho Low) and members of the fund’s management.

Jho Low

The former chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers also previously contended that the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia promised the accused financial donation for political purposes.

Najib’s 1MDB charges

Najib is on trial for four counts of abuse of power and 21 counts of money laundering involving RM2.27 billion from 1MDB.

For the four abuse of power charges, the former Pekan MP allegedly committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd’s Jalan Raja Chulan branch in Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 24, 2011, and Dec 19, 2014.

On the 21 money laundering counts, Najib purportedly committed the offences at the same bank between March 22 and Aug 30, 2013.

Minister of Finance Incorporated fully owned 1MDB where Najib was the board of advisers’ chairperson.

The accused was first charged on Sept 20, 2018, and his criminal trial began on Aug 28, 2019. -  - Mkini