By FARAH SOLHI & AKMAR ANNUAR
FORMER Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has been ordered to enter his defence against all four charges of using his position to misappropriate RM2.3 billion of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) and 21 money laundering charges involving the same funds.
Presiding Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, in reading out his verdict for about two hours this morning, decided so after finding that the prosecution had successfully established sufficient evidence proving essential ingredients of the offences.
He gave Najib three options: To either provide sworn evidence from the witness box, where he can be cross-examined; to give unsworn evidence from the dock, where he cannot be cross-examined; or to remain silent, in which case the court may proceed to convict him.
The 70-year-old former Pekan MP chose to defend himself against all allegations by giving sworn evidence from the witness box.
The court has also fixed 97 days for the defence stage trial, beginning Dec 2 this year, until Nov 7 next year.
Najib faced the four counts of using his position to obtain bribes amounting to RM2.3 billion in 1MDB funds at the AmIslamic Bank Bhd branch in Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between Feb 14, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.
The prosecution is carried out in accordance with Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 and can be punished under Section 24(1) of the same act.
Najib faces a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of either five times the value involved or RM10,000, or whichever is higher, if convicted.
For the 21 charges of money laundering, Najib is alleged to have committed the offence at the same bank between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.
Najib was also charged with 16 counts of receiving money from illegal activities involving Tanore Finance Corp’s account at Falcon Private Bank in Singapore, which was transferred to his AmIslamic Bank’s account before being sent back to Tanore’s account, amounting to RM2,196,786,711.87
He is alleged to have committed the act at AmIslamic Bank, Jalan Raja Chulan Branch, No 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon, between March 22, 2013, and April 10, 2013.
For the other five charges, Najib is accused of using proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM20,000,000 to be paid to UMNO.
In addition, RM100,000 was paid to UMNO Batu Kawan Division, RM246,000 to Lim Soon Peng, RM2,000,000 to ORB Solutions Sdn Bhd and RM303,000 to Semarak Konsortium Satu Sdn Bhd.
In today’s proceedings, Najib was represented by a line of defence lawyers led by Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, together with Tania Scivetti and Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin.
Meanwhile, Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar and Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib led the prosecution.
Najib is currently serving his prison sentence after he was found guilty for misappropriating RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd’s funds in 2022.
