KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has filed his witness statement for the defence trial of his RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) graft case.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib told the media that Najib's defence team from Messrs Shafee & Co has served the prosecution with a copy of the witness statement via email.
The witness statement ran 525 pages and in two volumes, DPP Ahmad Akram said.
Najib is expected to testify next Monday.
On Oct 30, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Court of Appeal judge) ordered Najib to enter his defence on four charges of power abuse and 21 charges of money laundering involving RM2.28bil linked to 1MDB.
Justice Sequerah said the court had conducted a maximum evaluation in the case and found that the prosecution had proven prima facie in its case against the former prime minister.
Najib has elected to give evidence under oath.
According to the amended charges, the former Pekan MP is facing four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
The abuse of power offences were allegedly committed at an AmIslamic Bank Bhd branch, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.r
Meanwhile, the money laundering offences were allegedly committed at the same location between March 22 and Aug 30, 2013.
The charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.
If he is convicted at the end of the defence case, Najib is facing imprisonment up to 20 years and a fine of five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
