Najib's 1MDB trial postponed to May 19 due to parliamentary sitting

KUALA LUMPUR: The 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial has been rescheduled to May 19 after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was given the green light to postpone the hearing in order for him to attend Parliament.

It is understood that Najib’s defence team, led by counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, had requested the postponement for the Pekan MP to make his way to the one-day parliamentary sitting.

The hearing was initially scheduled for May 13 but was later pushed to May 18.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib confirmed the new date.

“The case will resume for hearing on May 19 at 2pm, ” he said.

Najib’s 1MDB trial involving RM2.28bil is expected to be the first high-profile hearing to resume in open court amidst the relaxation in the movement control order (MCO) restrictions.

Najib, 67, is facing four charges of abusing his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.28bil in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same monies.

The 1MDB trial was last heard in court before Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah on March 12, just days before the first phase of the MCO was imposed on March 18, which effectively saw court complexes nationwide shutdown.

Shafee is expected to continue with the cross-examination of the ninth prosecution witness, former 1MDB chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, when the hearing resumes.