FORMER prime minister Najib Razak’s trial for 25 charges related to 1Malaysia Development will be in mid-August after lawyers from both sides requested that the SRC International trial be concluded before then. 

Justice Colin Lawrence Sequerah has set about 90 days for the 1MDB trial, which is set to begin on August 19 and conclude by November 14, with exception to Fridays, to allow lawyers to attend to other matters.  

Najib’s 1MDB trial was originally to begin on May 14 and take up 14 trial days until June 21. The SRC International trial has entered its twelfth trial day, with nineteen trial days allotted. The prosecution wants the SRC International trial to be extended to 33 days. 

“It is self-evident that it is in the public interest that the trial is not left uncompleted,” Attorney-General Tommy Thomas told the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning.  

He said SRC International trial judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali has allowed him to make the request.

“A trial always takes a life of its own. We don’t want SRC to be left hanging,” Thomas said, adding that the prosecution has 40 to 50 witnesses to call.

“Again, there is no way that corporate commercial crime (trial) can be completed in 14 trial days. One trial should be completed before another begins.

Sequerah asked for commitment from lawyers of both sides to start the 1MDB trial by mid-August. 

“1MDB is also a public interest case. This is the third time I have vacated dates,” said Sequerah, who will preside over the RM9.5 million money laundering trial of Najib’s lead counsel Shafee Abdullah on July 8.

“I have vacated murder cases, Section 39B (drug trafficking) cases. I have nothing to do except trying to convince lawyers to return (for their vacated hearing dates).”

Shafee told the court that the defence would not object. 

“The prosecution did not consider the volumnous testimonies (of witnesses at the SRC International trial). I request nothing earlier than August,” Shafee said. 

Shafee said the defence needs an additional two weeks to prepare for their case after the prosecution finished calling its witnesses.

“Let’s finish one case at a time,” Thomas said.

“Once the trial begins, it should go on until it is completed.”

Case management has been set for June 21. 

Najib faces 25 charges of graft and money laundering relating to transactions amounting to RM2.3 billion linked to 1MDB.

Among others, he is accused to have received a total of RM2.08 billion from illegal activities transferred into his account from Tanore Finance Corporation through the Falcon Private Bank in Singapore between March 22 and April 10, 2013.

Najib, 64, is also alleged to have, on four occasions, between February 24, 2011, and December 19, 2014, received RM60.6 million, RM90.9 million, RM2.081 billion and RM49.9 million in bribes. – May 2, 2019.