Zeti Aziz to testify in Najib case today

Mandated appearance: Zeti entering the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex.

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz is expected to return to court today to testify at Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial.

After much anticipation, the former Bank Negara governor, who made her first appearance at the trial yesterday, ended up not taking the stand as the defence had not concluded its cross-examination of the 44th prosecution witness, Kevin Michael Swampillai.

The hearing ended at 4.30pm, with Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah informing the court that he would still need to continue cross-examining Swampillai.

Yesterday, Zeti was seen making a low-key entrance at the court complex at 1.55pm.

Wearing a long loose dress in dark blue, Zeti was accompanied by several individuals, presumably her staff.

She was subpoenaed to attend the trial in the afternoon as a prosecution witness in the event that the cross-examination of Swampillai could not continue as Muhammad Shafee was absent during the morning session.

Muhammad Shafee appeared in the afternoon when the proceedings began at about 3pm.

The lawyer told the court he had a massive headache in the morning and apologised to the court for his absence.

He then continued his cross-examination of Swampillai, who is the former BSI Bank wealth management services head.

Zeti’s name was first mentioned in the 1MDB trial late last year.

In October 2022, the late lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram informed the court that the prosecution would be calling Zeti to testify after her name came up during a cross-examination of witness Cheah Tek Kuang by Muhammad Shafee.

Muhammad Shafee was asking Cheah, a former managing director at AmBank, about Zeti’s connection with fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low.

Several other questions also touched on Zeti, and this prompted Sri Ram to interject and told the court that the prosecution intended to call Zeti.

“We are calling Zeti so these questions can be addressed to her.

“She’s got the answers,” Sri Ram said then.