KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the case of the alleged tampering of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) final audit report involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and 1MDB former chief executive officer (CEO) Arul Kanda Kandasamy has applied to vacate the trial dates for the case.
High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan had previously fixed Nov 18 to 29 this year and Jan 13 to 17 next year for the trial.
Former Federal Court judge Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram who is the lead prosecutor said this was because a key witness who would be called in the case was currently testifying under cross-examination in Najib’s trial involving the misappropriation of RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds (1MDB case).
“One of our principle witnesses that we will have to call in as the first witness is now under cross-examination in the 1MDB case and according to indications yesterday, it is unlikely to be completed by Nov 14,” he said during case management before justice Mohamed Zaini yesterday.
He said Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had yesterday indicated that it was unlikely the cross-examination on the witness (former 1MDB CEO Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi) in the 1MDB case would be completed by Nov 14.
Sri Ram said it would be prejudice to the prosecution’s case if the witness was called in while he was still testifying in the 1MDB case.
“The witness is very important to this case and I also need time to prepare the opening statement (for the case),” he said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafee who did not object to the application to vacate the trial dates, said that it would be an advantage for him as he would have more time to prepare for the case.
“I am quite neutral about this because I think there are advantages. As long as I am not fighting the cases simultaneously,” he said.
The court fixed Nov 13 for decision whether to allow the prosecution’s application to have the trial dates
vacated. − Bernama
