THE Kuala Lumpur High Court has tentatively set August 26 as the start date for Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial, despite requests for a delay from both the prosecution and defence.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah said he will, however, hear the argument for the trial to begin on September 3, as suggested by senior ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram during case management on Thursday.

Sequerah told defence lawyers, led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, that he prefers the trial to begin next Monday, and will allow an adjournment so that the former prime minister’s legal team can go over documents.

“I’ll take the position that the trial will start on Monday… If you still need time, I am prepared to be reasonable,” said the judge.

“See you on Thursday.”

Sri Ram told the court that the prosecution cannot proceed with the 1MDB trial as its case in the SRC International Sdn Bhd proceedings has yet to conclude.

He told the court that the defence needs another 1½ days to cross-examine Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer Rosli Husain, the final prosecution witness in the SRC International trial.

Due to administrative differences, he said, they were not able to serve 12 witness statements until last Friday, as the prosecution had to verify documents.

He added that he did not have an opening statement ready.

Shafee said he received 15 bundles of additional documents this morning, and agreed with Sri Ram’s suggestion for the trial to begin on September 3.

“We have managed to read some… but there has not been sensible preparation for us to intelligently follow a witness testimony. As Yang Arif knows, when a witness is armed with a statement, he goes off like a train, and we need to follow.”

Sequerah said if the case begins on Monday, the prosecution can call formal witnesses to make oral statements.

For the 1MDB trial, Najib faces 25 charges of money-laundering and abuse of power, relating to RM2.28 billion in the state investor’s funds deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

Lawyers previously attempted to delay the 1MDB trial to allow the SRC International proceedings to conclude first. The Federal Court, however, last week ruled that the 1MDB trial must go on.

After Rosli finishes his testimony, the prosecution will conclude its case. About a month after that, both sides are expected to present their oral submissions.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali will then decide whether there is a prima facie case against Najib.

The former prime minister faces seven criminal charges in his SRC International trial. He is accused of receiving RM42 million in his personal accounts between December 2014 and February 2015.

The trial involving SRC International, a former subsidiary of 1MDB, will resume this afternoon. – August 19, 2019.