NAJIB Razak, who made global headlines yesterday after he was arrested at his residence in Langgak Duta, Kuala Lumpur, is expected to be charged today with multiple offences under the Penal Code, and Anti-Money Laundering Act and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act.
The Pekan lawmaker was held overnight at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission lock-up in Putrajaya. He will be brought to the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex by 8.30am today.
Najib’s arrest came after five weeks of intense investigations by the new Pakatan Harapan government into the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal.
His supporters said the arrest was expected and it was political vengeance by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his new administration.
But in recent weeks, investigators seized RM1.1 billion in cash and valuables from premises linked to the former prime minister. They also froze more than 400 bank accounts containing RM1.1 billion.
Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission chief Mohd Shukri Abdull said yesterday they have concrete proof that the money in the frozen accounts was from 1MDB.
The Wall Street Journal’s expose of how billions of ringgit were siphoned off 1MDB from 2010 to 2014 trails the stolen funds flowing into Najib’s bank accounts. One trail totalled US%731 million while another was RM42 million.
The 65-year-old former prime minister and Umno president was grilled on three occasions by the MACC, the latest being last month.
He was questioned on his involvement in former 1MDB subsidiary SRC International, as well as the RM2.6 billion found in two personal bank accounts.
He, however, until today has denied any wrongdoing and insisted that the monies were donations.
In court today, he is expected to be represented by Umno lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah while new Attorney-General Tommy Thomas will lead the prosecution.
Thomas recently replaced Mohamed Apandi Ali as A-G. Apandi had earlier said there was insufficient evidence to charge Najib with any crime.
The Malaysian Insight brings you live updates from today’s proceedings.
1pm: Thomas cancels his press conference after the crowd becomes too unruly.
12:55pm: Chaos erupts in the court complex as a rowdy crowd demands that Thomas speak in Bahasa Malaysia.
12.47pm: Court proceedings end.
12.23pm: The judge sets case management for August 8. The trial dates will be decided then.
12.18pm: The judge grants an interim gag order, ordering Shafee to file it in 14 days.
12.14pm: Thomas objects to gag order application, saying the world will be talking about this case while Malaysia will be keeping quiet.
11.58am: Shafee urges the court to place a gag order on the case, saying that the media and ministers are condemning his client.
11.52am: Judge sets bail at RM1 million with two sureties. Najib also ordered to surrender both his diplomatic passports.
11.18am: Thomas and Shafee argue over bail amount. Prosecution wants bail set at RM4 million while Shafee is asking for between RM500,000 and RM800,000.
10.48am: Thomas asks for bail of RM4 million and for Najib’s passport to be impounded by the court. Lead defence lawyer Shafee objects, saying his client is not a flight risk.
10.47am: Thomas tells court that although this is a non-bailable offence, prosecution does not object to Najib being offered bail.
10.40am: Najib pleads not guilty to all four charges.
10.33am: Najib appears before high court judge Sofian Abd Razak.
10.19am: Crowd waits patiently outside the court complex for the latest development on Najib. The former prime minister is expected to be taken to the high court to have his plea recorded.
10.18am: Fahmi Reza, the activist who was charged and jailed for his clown caricature, is spotted at the court complex. He hopes that apart from Najib, all those linked to the financial scandal will be brought to justice soon.
9.26am: Najib’s case ends in Sessions Court and is being transferred to the high court.
9.17am: Najib is charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust.
9.10am: Thomas asks that the proceedings be held in English.
9:09am: Judge Zainal Abidin Kamarudin enters the courtroom.
8.45am: Najib’s children, Noordiyana and Norashman, arrive at the courtroom with sombre expressions. They are accompanied by Noordiyana’s husband and bodyguards. Najib’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, has yet to arrive.
8.44am: Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, who is leading the prosecution against Najib, arrives at the Sessions Court.
8:27am: Najib’s son, Nazifuddin, enters the courtroom with his wife and bodyguards.
8.25am: Najib enters Sessions Court 2 accompanied by MACC and police officers. He is wearing a full suit, not MACC lock-up garb.
8:23am: Former Transparency International secretary-general Josie Fernandez, one of Najib’s supporters who turned up early this morning, says “it was not right” to charge the former prime minister.
“He has been cleared by the A-G,” she says, referring former attorney-general Mohamed Apandi Ali.
“The whole matter is politically motivated. Ask yourself, if it wasn’t Dr Mahathir (Mohamad) who is prime minister, would Najib be charged?” asks Fernandez, a social activist.
8.20am: Commotion erupts. Crowd gets unruly as Najib arrives.
8.18am: Najib Razak arrives in court.
8.15am: Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, who will lead the prosecution team, arrives at the court complex.
8.05am: Police start checking the equipment of reporters and cameramen. Sentul police chief R. Munusamy speaking to members of the media corp. He also checks the Sessions courtroom where Najib will be charged later today.
7.45am: Philip Loh, a resident from Kuala Lumpur, turns up early in the court complex, urging the new Pakatan Harapan government to conduct its investigations and the trial fairly. He claims the authorities have been unfair against Najib, raiding his house on the eve of the fasting month. He is still not guilty, so treat him fairly, Loh says.
7.40am: A group of Umno members from Pekan drove all night to show support to their Umno leader. More supporters are on the way from Pekan, the group spokesman says.
7.30am: Four Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) trucks drive into the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.
A group of Najib supporters turn up, carrying banners with the message: Solidarity with Najib Razak, respect civil liberties. – July 4, 2018.
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