NAJIB Razak’s defence team has been allowed to have up to nine lawyers present during proceedings at the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial following an exchange over seating capacity yesterday.

Lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is now flanked by his lawyer wife Tania Scivetti at the same table. Two other lawyers are in the public gallery, taking notes. 

The prosecution also increased the number of lawyers from three yesterday to seven, with lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram flanked by deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib.

Both Shafee and Sri Ram obtained permission to raise the number of lawyers in court after meeting Chief Judge of Malaya Azahar Mohamed yesterday, a member of the defence team told The Malaysian Insight.

A verbal exchange over social distancing requirements at the 1MDB trial yesterday had led to presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah suggesting that the trial be held at a wet market to meet the defence team’s needs.

Sequerah had brushed aside Shafee’s request for more than three lawyers during proceedings.

“I’m not just following the SOP for the sake of being difficult. I’m not coming at that angle. I am adhering to the SOP because I think the health and safety of human life is paramount. That is the reason why I follow the SOP. It’s not because of anything else,” Sequerah had said.

Shafee had then responded by asking for the trial to be adjourned until June 9, the day the conditional movement-control order is to lapse.

“That would be a better way to achieve the two. I cannot function like this. I may need to discharge myself,” Shafee said.

After further exchanges, Sequerah said: “Then it would be better we adjourn to the pasar borong Selayang without restrictions. You can have as many people as you want in court.” – May 21, 2020.