KUALA Lumpur High Court judge Mohd Sofian Abd Razak has fixed former prime minister Najib Razak’s case management on August 8.

However, trial will only be held next year. It will go on from February 18 to 28, and resume from March 4 to 8. It will then continue from March 11 to 15.

Najib today claimed trial at the sessions court to three counts of criminal breach of trust and one count of using his position for gratification, under separate acts.

The four charges, under the Penal Code and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act, were heard before sessions court judge Zainal Abidin Kamaruddin.

All the charges carry a maximum jail term of 20 years and a fine.

The high court then set bail at RM1 million, and ordered Najib to surrender his diplomatic passports.

Sofian ordered that Najib pay half the bail amount today, and the rest by Monday.

Najib’s children, Nooryana Najwa and Norashman, stood as sureties.

The first charge, under the MACC Act, states that Najib had used his position as prime minister and finance minister to receive gratification totalling RM42 million between August 17, 2011, and February 2012.

The offences were allegedly committed at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya.

The charge states that Najib was involved in “the decision on behalf of the Malaysian government to give guarantees for loans totalling RM4 billion from Retirement Fund Inc to SRC International Sdn Bhd, a former subsidiary of state investor 1Malaysia Development Bhd”.

According to a money trail uncovered by investigators, funds misappropriated from SRC International allegedly flowed into Najib’s bank accounts.

The three other charges are under Section 409 of the Penal Code. They carry a jail term, fine and whipping upon conviction.

The first charge states that between December 24 and 29, Najib, in his capacity as prime minister and finance minister, allegedly received RM27 million from SRC International.

The second and third charges state that he received RM4 million and RM10 million on the same dates, from the same firm.

The three offences were allegedly committed at an Ambank branch in Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur. – July 4, 2018.