JUSTICE Collin Lawrence Sequerah ruled today that he would continue to hear the corruption trial of Najib Razak, who is accused of misappropriating 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) funds.

Najib had applied to recuse Sequerah over the judge’s relationship with former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo.

Sequerah is now a Court of Appeal judge but is presiding over the case as a High Court judge.

Najib filed the recusal application after the judge revealed that Loo was his colleague at a law firm about 15 years ago.

Loo is strongly implicated in Najib’s ongoing trial for allegedly stealing RM2.3 billion from 1MDB.

In making his ruling today, Sequerah said mere past employment was not enough to show bias. He said there had been no contact between him and Loo since she left the law firm Zain & Co in 2008.

Sequerah left the firm in 2014 when he was elevated to the bench.

1MDB engaged Loo as general counsel in 2011.

Sequerah also denied lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s application to stay the trial pending disposal of Najib’s appeal to recuse the judge.

Former Bank Negara governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz subsequently took the witness stand to be cross-examined  by Shafee.

Najib, 70, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. – August 18, 2023.