1MDB trial: AG requests for another postponement to complete SRC trial

KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution team in Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak’s 1Malaysian Development Bhd (1MDB) cases today requested for another postponement of the trial which were earlier fixed by the High Court.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas (pix) told judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that there is a possibility Najib’s SRC International Sdn Bhd trial would not be completed by Aug 15.

Justice Sequerah had earlier set Aug 19 to 29; throughout September and October except for Fridays; and the first two weeks in November, for Najib’s 1MDB trial.

This is the third time the prosecution team asked for postponement as the prosecution wanted to give way to Najib’s SRC trial to finish first.

“There’s no way the SRC trial can be completed by Aug 15, we have called 42 witnesses to testify and we are expecting to call another 25 witnesses. Therefore, we would like to request that August and September to be vacated for the SRC case.

“The principle at stake is trial one (SRC) should finish before trial two (1MDB). If we may suggest that 1MDB trial to start on Oct 1 so that it will give you more time to reschedule other cases,” Thomas said.

Justice Sequerah asked whether the prosecution in SRC case and 1MDB case involved the same team, to which Thomas replied that there are different groups but the defence is the same.

“The accused cannot be expected (to be) at two courts at the same time,“ said Thomas adding that the defence also agreed with the prosecution’s request to vacate the 1MDB trial to another date.

Justice Sequerah then set July 15 for another case management for the parties to update the status of SRC trial before he decide the matter.

Najib is facing four counts under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act and 21 counts of money laundering involving 1MDB funds, amounting to RM2.28 billion.

The 66-year-old Pekan MP is accused of committing the offences at AmIslamic Bank Bhd in Jalan Raja Chulan in Kuala Lumpur between 2011 and 2014.

The former prime minister also faces three counts of criminal breach of trust, one charge of power abuse and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds totaling RM42 million. - Bernama