Najib charged with tampering with 1MDB final audit report

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has claimed trial at a Sessions Court here for tampering with a 1Malaysia Development Berhad final audit document.

The former prime minister was accused of using his position then to gain protection from a civil disciplinary action relating to 1MDB by way of ordering the final audit report on 1MDB to be tampered with before it was finalised and presented to the Public Accounts Committee.

He allegedly committed the offence at the Prime Minister’s Office, Putrajaya between Feb 22 and Feb 26, 2016.

The charge under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 carries a maximum 20 years imprisonment and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

He pleaded not guilty before Sessions Court judge Azura Alwi.

In submissions for bail, lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram offered bail at RM1mil in one surety.

This was objected to by lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who said the amount was excessive, considering Arul Kanda was offered bail at RM500,000 by the prosecution.

"My client has already paid RM5.5mil for his previous cases.

"I'm making a suggestion, should you accede to my request for my client's bail to be hinged on the bail of the previous cases," he said

Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram replied that Najib was the principal offender and Arul Kanda was the abetter.

"Therefore, a principal offender is treated differently from the abetter," he said.

 Bail was granted at RM500,000 with one surety and the case is set for mention on Jan 4. 

Najib has since posted bail and left the court complex.

Earlier, former 1MDB chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy has claimed trial to a criminal charge relating to the tampering of  the 1MDB audit report at a Sessions Court here.

Arul was charged with abetting Najib, who used his position as the then prime minister to gain protection from a civil disciplinary action relating to 1MDB, by way of ordering the final audit report on 1MDB to be tampered with before it was finalised and presented to the PAC.

He allegedly committed the offence at the Prime Minister’s Office, Putrajaya between Feb 22 and Feb 26, 2016.

The charge under Section 28(1)(c) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 carries a maximum 20 years imprisonment and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.