No more delays - Najib's 1MDB trial set for Aug 19
Former premier Najib Abdul Razak's 1MDB trial is set to commence on Aug 19 irrespective of whether the SRC International hearing concludes by that date.
High Court Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today rejected an application by the prosecution to further push back the 1MDB trial date, as the SRC International case is nowhere near its end...
Former premier Najib Abdul Razak's 1MDB trial is set to commence on Aug 19 irrespective of whether the SRC International hearing concludes by that date.
High Court Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah today rejected an application by the prosecution to further push back the 1MDB trial date, as the SRC International case is nowhere near its end.
This is the third time the prosecution has asked Sequerah to postpone the 1MDB hearing to make way for the seven SRC International-related charges against Najib for abuse of power, corruption and money laundering.
Attorney-General Tommy Thomas submitted the application for the court to consider adjourning the 1MDB trial – also known as the Tanore trial, in reference to 1MDB-linked entity Tanore Finance Corp.
Thomas told the court that they had informed Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is presiding over the SRC International trial, that the case might not be completed by Aug 15.
This was the expected conclusion date of the SRC International hearing, for which Sequerah had twice postponed the 1MDB trial date.
Nazlan had also agreed to vacate further dates to accommodate the SRC International trial, according to Thomas.
"We suggested to Nazlan to continue with SRC International hearing from Sept 3 to Sept 30, to which Nazlan said, 'yes'.
"Come October, he said he would prefer to hear the case involving (former Felda chairperson) Mohd Isa Abdul Samad, and then (Nazlan agreed for) November as the next dates.
"These are the dates (agreed by Nazlan). And of course, we told his lordship (Nazlan) that we will come back to him after asking your lordship (Sequerah)," the attorney-general said in his submission.
Thomas (photo) added that it would be difficult for the 1MDB trial to start before the first case against Najib is completed in court.
His application was supported by Najib's lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who said that a similar application was previously approved by Sequerah himself.
The judge said, however, that the circumstances have changed.
"I am not willing to wait. If you have nothing to submit, I will make my decision," he said.
Shafee then continued with his submission, appearing to try to convince Sequerah to allow the application from the prosecution. This proved unsuccessful.
"After hearing both parties and taking into account that this is the third application by the prosecution, this application is rejected.
"The hearing (into the 1MDB case) will commence this Aug 19, at 9am," the judge said.
The 1MDB case will be heard before Sequerah on these dates:
- August 19 to 22, 26 to 29
- September 3 to 5, 10 to 12, 17 to 19, 23 to 26, 30
- October 1 to 3, 7 to 10, 14 to 17, 21 to 24, 29 to 31
- November 4 to 7, 11 to 14
