NEWLY transferred High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali is likely to preside over the corruption trial of former prime minister Najib Razak, who is expected to face more charges in connection with 1Malaysia Development Bhd.

Najib, who is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow for case mention involving four graft charges, is expected to be additionally charged under the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.

The former prime minister was charged in the Sessions court on July 4 with three counts of criminal breach of trust under the Penal Code, and one count of misusing his position under the MACC Act.

The former Umno president was charged with misusing his position as a government official to receive a RM42 million bribe as an inducement to provide a sovereign guarantee on behalf of the Malaysian government for a RM4 billion loan from the Retirement Fund Inc to SRC International Sdn Bhd.

SRC International was formerly a subsidiary of 1MDB, the state investment fund established by Najib when he became prime minister in 2009.

Meanwhile, High Court judge Nazlan is replacing justice Sophian Abd Razak whose partiality had been called into question in the hearing of Najib’s case.

Lawyers had raised the question of conflict of interest as Sophian is the brother of Pahang Barisan Nasional assemblyman Mohd Soffi Abdul Razak.

Najib is the Pekan MP, a former Umno president, and former Pahang menteri besar.

Najib is represented by prominent lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah. Attorney-General Tommy Thomas leads the prosecution. – August 7, 2018.