1MDB-Tanore Trial Day 22: Back to full-day hearing after Tuesday’s false start

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 16): The 1MDB-Tanore trial of Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak is scheduled to begin at 9.30am today — after a day’s break arising from the former prime minister's absence from the evening session yesterday to attend the Budget 2020 debate in Parliament.

Yesterday’s morning session had been vacated to make way for Najib’s Dewan Rakyat debate that was scheduled at 11am, as well as a Federal Court appeal by Najib to challenge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram’s appointment as lead prosecutor in this trial. 

However, Najib also missed the 2.30pm session, to which lead defence counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said was because Najib’s Dewan Rakyat slot had been moved involuntarily to 3pm instead.

As a result, High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed the postponement, but at the same time reprimanded Najib with a remark that "it will be the last time for this situation”.

Today, the trial will continue its 22nd day, with former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi — the ninth prosecution witness — due for his cross-examination for the sixth day.

Shahrol’s grilling paused on Monday as Muhammad Shafee recalled the year 2010, when the former CEO signed documents to hinder a thorough audit by the National Audit Department into 1MDB by refusing the surrender of certain documents.

Shahrol insisted that his conduct was made solely under instructions from fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, whom he described as the go-to person for Najib on 1MDB matters.

It has been established in court that a thorough audit at the time would have unveiled the fact that some US$700 million meant for 1MDB’s joint venture (JV) — 1MDB PetroSaudi Ltd — was diverted to Good Star Ltd, a company that belonged to Jho Low.

Muhammad Shafee, during the cross-examination, accused Shahrol of working in cahoots with Jho Low to misappropriate the funds without Najib's knowledge.

Today, the defence counsel could dig further into 1MDB’s dealings with the JV from 2011 onwards, where more monies belonging to 1MDB were eventually diverted into Good Star.

Najib is currently facing 25 criminal charges over the alleged embezzlement of 1MDB funds at the time when he was prime minister, Minister of Finance (with the power to help 1MDB secure government guarantee on certain loans) and chairman of 1MDB's board of advisers (which can approve 1MDB’s investment activities). 

The Edge is reporting the proceedings of the 1MDB-Tanore trial live.

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