KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah's criminal breach of trust (CBT) trial totalling RM6.6 billion which was scheduled to commence today has been postponed for two weeks.
Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin adjourned the proceeding to give time for both parties to sort out documents that will be used for the trial, ensuring that all necessary evidence is properly organised and presented.
Earlier, Mohd Irawan's lawyer Datuk K. Kumaraendran told the court that they had yet to receive about 100 documents related to the trial from the prosecution.
"Among the documents involved are the Cabinet meeting memos, letters, and emails referring to the defence witness statement.
"These documents are very important, especially to my client, but they have not been provided to us at all," he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi said that Kumaraendran had given the prosecution a list of documents intended for the defence that they had not yet received.
"I acknowledge that there are many documents (in this trial), and to narrow down the document to be used by the prosecution and the defence, we need to recheck the list that was submitted in 2018 to see if they are included or not.
"Therefore, for the smooth running of this trial and to ensure justice for the defence, I have no objection if the trial is postponed temporarily to ensure everything is sorted out," he said.
Muhammad Jamil then granted the adjournment and postponed the trial dates until June 19.
The dates set for the trial are June 4 to 6; June 10 to 13; June 19 to 20; June 24 to 27; July 2 to 4; July 9 to 11; July 15 to 18; July 22 to 25, and July 29 to 31.
Najib and Mohd Irwan were charged in October 2018, and had pleaded not guilty to six charges of CBT involving government funds used as payments to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).
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 trial 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 trial 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).