FORMER prime minister Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial has been vacated until January 26 after the prosecution failed to arrange a witness to testify at the Kuala Lumpur High Court today.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib assured the court that a similar situation would not occur when trial resumes on January 26 and 27.

“As per direction of the court this morning, the prosecution has tried to call witnesses to come to court and testify this afternoon.

“However, I am sorry, most of them have started working already and have their own matters to attend to, which cannot be postponed at the very last minute,” Akram said.

Najib’s trial was postponed this morning after former 1MDB chief financial officer Azmi Tahir contracted a fever and provided a medical certificate.

Five other witnesses also could not be present for various reasons.Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah had ordered a stand down for the prosecution to call more witnesses from its list.

Akram said that following today’s hiccup, the prosecution has prepared four witnesses to be on standby for the next trial dates later this month.

The witnesses are former 1MDB chief financial officer Azmi Tahir, former 1MDB director Ismee Ismail, Najib’s former special officer Wan Ahmad Shihab Wan Ismail and former 1MDB chairman Mohd Bakke Salleh.

“If anything like today happens again, we will have backup. (It would) not (be) like today,” Akram said.

Judge Sequerah then adjourned the trial.

Najib is facing 25 charges of abuse of power and money-laundering involving RM2.28 billion in 1MDB funds, which were allegedly deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.

The 68-year-old Pekan MP faces up to 20 years in prison if found guilty. – January 6, 2022.