THE prosecution has wrapped up its case against Najib Razak, charged with misappropriating RM42 million in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds, after calling 57 witnesses in 57 days.

Attorney-General Tommy Thomas brought down the curtain on the prosecution’s case after its final witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer Rosli Husain, stepped down from the stand today.

Thomas told judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that a list of 66 witnesses has been prepared should the defence be called later.

Nazlan will deliver on November 11 his decision on whether former prime minister Najib has to enter his defence.

The judge said the trial will continue from December 3 to 19 should Najib be ordered to enter his defence, whether for all or some of the charges.

The SRC International trial began on April 3.

After proceedings ended for the day, ad hoc prosecutor V. Sithambaram said the prosecution is confident that it has a prima facie case against Najib.

“The prosecution feels confident that we have proved a prima facie case by calling the 57 witnesses, and tendering documentary and contemporary evidence of events that took place in 2014 and 2015.”

He hailed both the defence and prosecution for finishing the hearing quickly.

“This case has gone with great speed. As a lawyer, it is one of the fastest cases I’ve done. Two or three months, 57 witnesses, we have done very well. It was very fast.”

However, there will be no respite for the former prime minister, whose 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial starts tomorrow.

In the SRC International case, Najib faces three counts of money-laundering, three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and one count of abuse of power.

The Pekan MP is accused of committing CBT in relation to RM42 million in SRC International funds while entrusted with its control as the then prime minister and finance minister.

He was charged under an anti-corruption law with abusing the same positions for self-gratification, involving the same sum.

The money-laundering charges, too, involve the said RM42 million.

Meanwhile, lead defence counsel Muhammd Shafee Abdullah told reporters that his team is confident of an acquittal.

“I want to be silently confident. We are very confident that the defence ought not to be called in this case, because I think we have knocked down virtually everything.”

On Sithambaram’s claim that a legal team would “put themselves in peril” by representing Najib in more than one trial, Shafee said: “The choice to have the same team for the SRC International and 1MDB trials is purposeful, because the two cases are not just similar, but have identical defences in many ways.

“Having gone through the SRC International case, it would be a waste if the team changes, because we can use the knowledge from the SRC International trial and extend it into the 1MDB hearing. So, it is for this reason that we maintain the same team.”

However, he lamented the fact that the trials are stacked so closely to one another, as the team needs time to rest and prepare.

He said Najib is setting a precedent for an individual facing multiple trials.

“It is unheard of in the Commonwealth, and perhaps, the world. It is not just unfair to him, but also unfair to the defence team.

“The counsel that he has chosen is minimised in its efficacy.” – August 27, 2019.