- Title: Malaysia court postpones biggest 1MDB trial involving ex-PM Najib
- Date: 19th August 2019
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (AUGUST 19, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** LAWYERS ENTERING COURT HOUSE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAJIB RAZAK LAWYER, MOHAMAD SHAFEE ABDULLAH, SAYING: "But the judge has got other ideas. The judge thinks that we should start on Monday (August 26). And because I refuse to compromise on the 14 days, the judge has told them to start the case on oral evidence." SECURITY GUARD OPENING DOOR FOR PEOPLE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NAJIB RAZAK LAWYER, MOHAMAD SHAFEE ABDULLAH, SAYING: "Most of these witness statements we have not even started reading. As you can appreciate, we are preparing the SRC trial. Today perhaps in the evening we will begin reading 1MDB statement." SHAFEE LEAVING
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2019 04:55
- Keywords: Malaysia Najib Razak trial. 1MDB politics court
- Location: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- City: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA001ASVTJRB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Malaysian court on Monday (August 19) postponed for a week the biggest of five trials linked to a multi-billion-dollar scam at state fund 1MDB and allegedly involving former prime minister Najib Razak.
The hearing will now begin next Monday (August 26) to allow time for the completion of a previous trial that revolves around former 1MDB unit SRC International, a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge said.
Najib's lawyer, Mohamad Shafee Abdullah, told reporters that they will start reading the charge files after the completion of the current hearing.
Najib, who lost a general election last year, has been hit with 42 criminal charges of graft and money laundering at 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) and other state entities. He has pleaded not guilty and says the charges are politically motivated.
In the trial in Kuala Lumpur, Najib will have to fight 21 charges of money laundering and four of abuse of power for receiving illegal transfers of about 2.3 billion ringgit ($550.8 million) between 2011 and 2014.
(Production: Jiraporn Kuhakan, Angie Teo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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