KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak is seeking for a postponement of his third criminal trial which is scheduled to start next Monday.
This time, the former prime minster will be jointly tried with former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chief executive officer (CEO) Arul Kanda Kandasamy for allegedly tampering with the sovereign wealth fund’s final audit report.
Najib, in a notice of motion filed yesterday is seeking for the trial he dubbed as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) trial to begin on Jan 13, next year.
He said he would suffer prejudice if the trial was not postponed as he needed time to prepare his defence for the SRC International Sdn Bhd trial, slated to begin Dec 3.
“My appointed legal representatives and myself require time.
“The commencement of the PAC case trial in Nov 2019 would deprive me and my legal team the opportunity of adequately and effectively preparing my defence case,” he said in his affidavit in support of the motion.
He added that his lawyers were also engaged in the preparation of his 1MDB corruption trial involving RM2.28 billion.
He had also in his affidavit said a short adjournment was necessary in order to guarantee his right to a fair trial.
Yesterday, High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan who is presiding over the PAC trial dismissed an application by the prosecution to postpone the hearings on grounds that it was difficult to find alternative dates.
The trial dates were originally fixed from Nov 18 to 29, and between Jan 13 and 17, next year.
On Dec 12, last year, Arul Kanda, 43, was charged at the Sessions Court with committing the offence between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.
He allegedly abetted Najib, 66, in using the latter’s position as then-Prime Minister to order amendments to the report.
On the same day, Najib was charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action being taken against him.
Najib was charged in his capacity as a public officer, which was the Prime Minister, with using the position to obtain gratification for himself to evade disciplinary, civil or criminal action against him in connection with 1MDB, by ordering alterations to the 1MDB final audit report before it was finalised and tabled to the PAC, which he directly had interest in.