KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is set to appear in court tomorrow with former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah, to face another trial.
Najib's trial tomorrow will be for the criminal breach of trust (CBT) involving RM6.6 billion of government funds used as payments to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
Both were charged in Oct 2018 and pleaded not guilty to the CBT charges.
They allegedly committed the offences at the Finance Ministry complex in Putrajaya between Dec 21, 2016, and Dec 18, 2017.
The charges, under Section 409 of the Penal Code for CBT by a public servant or agent, carry a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment, caning and a fine upon conviction.
The dates set for the trial are June 4 to June 6; June 10 to June 13; June 19 to June 20; June 24 to June 27; July 2 to July 4; July 9 to July 11; July 15 to July 18; July 22 to July 25, and July 29 to July 31.
The trial, which will be presided over by judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin, will be the fourth of five trials faced by Najib, who has already been found guilty of seven counts of CBT, money laundering, and abuse of power concerning SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
The former Pekan member of parliament's appearance tomorrow comes after 235 days of trial spanning six years where the prosecution finally rested its case against the former prime minister on four charges of using his position to obtain RM2.3 billion of bribes and 21 charges of money laundering from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB).
Najib was charged in the Sessions Court on Sept 20, 2018, and the case was allowed to be transferred to the High Court on Oct 31, 2018. The trial began on Aug 28, 2019.
Among the key witnesses called to testify were former 1MDB chairman Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh, former chief executive Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz, and former 1MDB general counsel, Jasmine Loo Ai Swan.
Presiding judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then asked both parties to file written submissions on July 26.
The judge also fixed Aug 19 to Aug 22 for both parties to give their oral submissions.
The former prime minister is charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act (MACC), which provides for imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of up to five times the amount or value of the bribe, or RM10,000, whichever is higher if found guilty.
For the 21 charges of money laundering, Najib is accused of committing the offences between March 22, 2013, and Aug 30, 2013.
All the charges are under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing, and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act (AMLATFA), which carries a maximum fine of RM5 million and imprisonment of up to five years, or both, upon conviction.