KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah were charged at the Sessions Court here today with six counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving over RM6.6 billion of government funds.
The duo, who were charged in their capacity as Finance Minister and Treasury secretary-general, only nodded to indicate that they understood the charges and claimed trial to their joint charges before Judge Ahmad Azman today.
The duo were also seen talking to each other while they were inside the dock.
On the first and second counts, Najib, 65, and Irwan, 61, were charged with committing CBT on a RM1.2 billion and RM655 million government property which was entrusted to them with dominion over it (property).
On the third and fourth counts, they were alleged to have committed CBT on a RM220 million and RM1.3 billion property entrusted to them with dominion over it in the Federal Consolidated Fund “Belanja Mengurus di bawah Maksud B11 Perkhidmatan Am Perbendaharaan, Aktiviti 021700 KL International Airport Bhd (KLIAB)" belonging to the government.
For the fifth and sixth charges, they were alleged to have committed CBT on a 1,950,000,000.00 yuan (RM1.26 billion) and RM2 billion government property which was entrusted to them with dominion over it.
Najib and Irwan allegedly committed the offences at the Finance Ministry complex in Putrajaya between Dec 21, 2016 and Dec 18, 2017.
Their charge, under Section 409 of the Penal Code for CBT by a public servant or agent, carries the maximum 20 years’ imprisonment, whipping and a fine upon conviction.
Najib's lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah pleaded for the bail amount of RM4.5 million that has been paid by his client in his case in the other courts to be applied in this case.
Meanwhile, counsel Datuk K.Kumaraendran who represented Irwan pleaded for RM500,000 bail to be imposed on his client.
Earlier, Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram, who led the prosecution team, proposed RM3 million bail to be imposed on both the accused.
He also objected to Shafee's submission to permit Najib to be released on the previous bail amount as the offences are serious.
The court allowed RM1 million bail in two sureties to each accused and ordered for them to surrender their international and diplomatic passports to the court.
The court also ordered the duo aganist contacting or disturbing witnesses in the case.
The judge then allowed both accused to pay RM500,000 of the bail amount today and the rest to be paid in 10 days from today.
The case will be up for mention on Nov 29.