FORMER prime minister Najib Razak has been told to leave his wife Rosmah Mansor’s corruption trial this morning after the presiding judge decided his presence may affect the case.

Najib, dressed in a casual red short-sleeved shirt, entered the court around 10.40am, 40 minutes into Rosmah’s hearing.

“Datuk Seri Najib, I’m afraid I have to ask you to excuse yourself. Out of an abundance of caution, I need to ask you to leave the court,” said Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Rosmah, dressed in a floral yellow veil and dress, did not react when Najib followed the judge’s orders and left with a few aides.

Najib was seated in the gallery, right behind the dock Rosmah is in. He said “okay” when told to leave.

Entering about the same time as Najib was lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram. He did not speak.

It was deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib who addressed the court about Najib’s presence in the middle of the testimony by the fourth prosecution witness, driver Shamsul Rizal Sharbini.

“It would not be possible for him (Najib) to be present at the proceedings as he is one of the witnesses whose statement was recorded. He is not in the plan to be called but anything can happen,” said Akram.

Rosmah’s lead counsel Jagjit Singh protested, saying Najib’s name was never on a list of witnesses provided by the prosecution, which had been amended several times.

“We are not aware of this fact and his presence is because, like any good husband would do is to support his wife.”

Zaini said: “Sometimes they (the prosecution) don’t go by the list, sometimes they call witnesses who they didn’t plan to. There may be circumstances that may compel them to call witnesses that are not on the list.”

On an argument raised by defence counsel Akberdin Abdul Kader that the list was already provided, Akram said: “We have already supplied to the defence the list of witnesses, but if you note, at the top, it actually says ‘proposed’ list of witnesses.”

Akberdin then told the court: “For the record, Datuk Seri Najib was here since yesterday.”

Zaini said he “didn’t quite notice” Najib during the first hearing date of Rosmah’s criminal trial.

Rosmah faces three charges of corruption for allegedly soliciting RM187.5 million from Jepak Holdings Sdn Bhd managing director Saidi Abang Samsudin as an inducement to help the company secure a hybrid solar project for 369 rural schools in Sarawak, worth RM1.25 billion.

The 69-year-old is also accused of receiving bribes of RM6.5 million between 2016 and 2017. She faces up to 20 years imprisonment, if convicted. – February 6, 2020.