THE prosecution’s application to postpone the 1Malaysia Development trial, which is set to begin on August 19, to pave way for the ongoing SRC International case, will be decided later today.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said this morning he will make his decision early afternoon after hearing submissions from both sides on the motion filed last week by the Attorney-General’s Chambers.  

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas told the court today that the SRC International trial is going more slowly than expected.

“We’re at witness 50 but going slowly. The problem has arisen because the pressure was put on justice Nazlan (Ghazali) to have a finishing date which is August 16.

“The mistake was to have a closing date,” Thomas said in his submission, adding that running concurrent trials have “inherent” problems.

“Every trial has a life of its own and its own dynamics. It’s not possible to say with certainty when the first trial will finish. It will finish when it finishes.”

Thomas added that it is uncertain, at a later stage of the SRC International trial, the number of witnesses the defence would call.

“The defence has to have their day in court. If it takes 70 witnesses so be it.

“The principle is it is fundamental to not start trial number two when trial number one is still ongoing.”

The accused in both cases, former prime minister Najib Razak’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the defence supports the adjournment on the same grounds.

“We have put in emphasis that it would kill out the defence. The 1MDB and SRC International matter cannot be separated. That’s why the defence team is the same. Let’s finish this case one at a time.

“Justice cannot be rushed and the right to counsel goes directly into the heart of the right to trial.”

The prosecution applied last Wednesday to postpone the 1MDB criminal trial, where Najib faces 25 charges. The SRC International trial in which Najib faces seven charges commenced on April 3 and is scheduled to continue until August 15.

This motion was filed following an earlier decision by Sequerah – the 1MDB presiding judge – that the 1MDB trial must begin by August 19.

The prosecution previously sought thrice to postpone 1MDB hearing dates to make way for Najib’s SRC International trial.

Najib was slapped with 25 corruption charges in September last year involving RM2.28 billion allegedly from 1MDB.

He is currently on trial in a separate court for charges linked to RM4 billion in loans issued to SRC International in 2011 and 2012, for which he is accused of receiving RM42 million in his personal accounts in 2014 and 2015.

He faces three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money-laundering and one count of abuse of power.

The SRC International trial continues today. – July 18, 2019.