Ex-PM’s RM6.6bil CBT trial pushed to May 29

KUALA LUMPUR: The RM6.6bil criminal breach of trust (CBT) trial involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah has been postponed to May 29 due to a new development.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Saifuddin Hashim Musaimi informed High Court judge Justice Muhammad Jamil Hussin that the prosecution had received a representation from Mohd Irwan’s lawyer, Datuk K. Kumaraendran.

“The representation has been referred to the Attorney General and his instruction was for me to request a postponement while we await the decision on the representation.

“There are many issues raised in the representation by Mohd Irwan’s lawyer and we need time to study it,” the DPP said here yesterday.

The prosecution also received a letter from Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah requesting today’s postponement.

Today was initially fixed for the first day of hearing in the trial which is scheduled for April 4, April 8-11 and throughout May.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Shafee told the court that he had also sent a letter to the court to seek the postponement following the settlement by the Malaysian government and International Petroleum Investment Company (Ipic).

“Without divulging information due to its sensitive information, we seek for the trial to be postponed for negotiations to run smoothly.

“If there is a development, this case might not have to be continued,” Muhammad Shafee said.

Justice Muhammad Jamil allowed the postponement and fixed May 29 for mention.

On Oct 25, 2018, Najib, 70, and Mohd Irwan, 66, pleaded not guilty to six charges of CBT amounting to RM6.6bil in government funds involving payments to Ipic.

Najib and Mohd Irwan are jointly accused of committing all the offences at the Finance Ministry Complex in Putrajaya between Dec 21, 2016, and Dec 18, 2017.

They were charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for a maximum of 20 years’ jail and whipping as well as a fine, upon conviction.