NAJIB Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial, in which the former prime minister faces corruption and money-laundering charges, has been adjourned a day later to allow him to attend the single-day Dewan Rakyat sitting on May 18.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said Najib’s lawyer, Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, sent an email to the high court on Friday, requesting the new date.

“The defence’s application has been granted, and the trial will resume on May 19 at 2pm.”

The trial’s last proceedings were on March 13 before judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Proceedings on previously fixed dates have been postponed several times due to the movement-control order to curb the spread of Covid-19.

When the hearing resumes, the defence is expected to continue cross-examining the ninth prosecution witness, former 1MDB chief executive Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi.

Najib, who is also Pekan MP, faces four counts of abusing his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money-laundering involving the same sum.

The court also set June 15 to continue with the 1MDB report-tampering trial involving Najib and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy.

It will be held before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Akram said the prosecution received an email from high court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas yesterday, notifying the team that proceedings have been fixed for June 15 to 18, and 29 and 30; and, July 1 to 3 and 27 to 30. – Bernama, May 12, 2020.