THE prosecution will apply to call Riza Aziz as its witness to give evidence in Najib Razak’s 1MDB trial, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard today.

“We wish to add Riza Aziz to the witness list as he is ready to give evidence to the prosecution.

We will make a formal application,” lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram informed High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.  

Najib Razak faces 25 criminal charges in relation to RM2.28 billion of public funds in the 1MDB trial which resumed today after a six-month hiatus.

The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court last Thursday granted Riza a discharge not amounting to an acquittal from five counts of money laundering involving US$248mil (RM1.25 billion) of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB)-linked funds.

Riza was charged on July 5, 2019.

Following the court’s decision, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) said in a statement that the government expected to recover overseas assets worth an estimated US$107.3mil  in a deal struck between the prosecution and Riza.

Sri Ram also told the court the prosecution would also apply for contempt proceedings to be initiated against Najib for his comments in a recent interview.

Sri Ram said the 66-year-old former prime minister was in contempt of court in saying that he expected  his trial to be held in a “more conducive” atmosphere following the change of government.

In response, lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah argued that no contempt proceedings were brought against former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who had called his client “penyangak”, or robber.

“Nobody cited him for contempt,” said Shafee, who asked the prosecution to reconsider its application.

In an interview with Reuters published on March 4, Najib said he expected a new atmosphere more conducive to a fair hearing now that the government that ousted him had fallen.

“I’m not alluding to anything, because there’s no conclusion to the trial… But hopefully, you know, I will get a fair trial,” Najib had said. – May 19, 2020.