KUALA LUMPUR: The criminal trial of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Dr Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah has been rescheduled to Jan 6, next year.
The dates for the duo’s trial were moved to make way for the former prime minister’s ongoing SRC International trial which has entered its 17th day today and his 1Malaysia Development Bhd’s (1MDB) trial, scheduled to start on Aug 19.
High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali who is presiding Najib and Irwan’s case fixed 52 days for their trial.
The dates are Jan 6 to 9, Jan 20 to 23, Jan 27 to 30 Feb 3 to 6, Feb 10 to 13, Feb 17 to 20, Feb 24 to 27, March 2 to 5, March 9 to12, April 6 to 9, April 13 to 16, April 20 to 23, April 27 to 30 next year.
The trial was initially set to begin on July 8 for 28 days but was deferred until both of Najib’s cases are completed.
Najib, 66, and Irwan, 62, are facing six criminal breaches of trust (CBT) charges involving RM6.6 billion of government funds in their capacity as Finance Minister and Treasury secretary-general respectively.
On the first and second counts, they were alleged 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 1.95 billion yuan (RM1.26 billion) and RM2 billion government property which was entrusted to them with dominion over it.
The offences were committed at the Finance Ministry complex in Putrajaya between Dec 21, 2016 and Dec 18, 2017.
The charge under Section 409 of the Penal Code carries a maximum 20 years jail, whipping and a fine, if convicted.
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