News by Hafiz Yatim

Today, Najib's lawyer Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun told High Court Judge Datuk Rozana Ali Yusoff that Najib filed the stay of proceedings letter dated Dec 24.

"There is still an appeal pending and in order to avoid prejudice on the ministry and smokers, the ministry should consider the request.”

As one of the lawyers representing four of the six accused was involved in a freak accident in Klang earlier this month. Lawyer V Rajagopal is said to have been in a coma since yesterday.

This follows the withdrawal of Najib's application to challenge Naban's appointment by Najib's lawyer Muhammad Farhan Shafee, after Naban's letter of appointment was produced in court and shown to Najib's lawyers.

However, when asked again by appointed prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram later, the former premier said he was not sure whether he signed it and wants the original meeting minutes to be produced to have it verified.

Najib told the court today he had next to no knowledge of the funds in his account when issuing cheques amounting to millions of ringgit.

It was previously reported that Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah wanted to call a handwriting expert from Australia to study the documents.

Najib said he would make the oath at the Kampung Baru mosque on Friday.

He maintained that there is a need for a writing expert to verify the authenticity of the documents and the signatures.

High Court judicial commissioner Anand Ponnudurai, who had been pulled in from private practice into the judiciary last month, maintained the trial dates which was fixed by his predecessor Justice S Nantha Balan, who has now been elevated to the Court of Appeal.