Najib's 1MDB trial commences today

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 -- The highly-anticipated 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to start today with the prosecution is scheduled to call six witnesses.

The trial will be heard before High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah at 9.30 am.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib when asked on the trial today said the prosecution would begin its case with former Federal Court Judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who was appointed as senior deputy public prosecutor in the case, to read an opening statement  followed by calling its first witness.

He said the witnesses to be called today are administrative officer from Malaysian Members of Parliament Affairs Division and officers from the Prime Minister’s Office.

Ahmad Akram said he would be conducting three witnesses while another DPP would handle the rest.

The former prime minister is facing four charges of having used his positions to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.

On the four corruption charges, Najib, 66, is alleged to have committed the offences at the Jalan Raja Chulan branch of AmIslamic Bank Berhad, at No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon here between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014  and he was charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act under Section 24 (1) of the same law.

He faces an imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the sum or value of the gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, if found guilty.

For the 21 money laundering charges, Najib is alleged to have committed the offences at the same bank between March 22, 2013 and Aug 30, 2013.

All the charges were made according to Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA), which provides for a maximum fine of RM5 million and jail term of five years, or both, upon conviction.

Previously, Justice Sequerah had set Aug 19 to 29, the month of September and October except for Fridays, and the first two weeks of November for Najib's 1MDB trial.

-- BERNAMA