NAJIB SEEKS TO STRIKE OUT 3 CHARGES
3 additional money-laundering charges overlapping with ex-PM’s 7 charges involving RM42m of SRC’s funds, says lawyer
DATUK Seri Najib Razak will seek to strike out his three additional money-laundering charges involving RM27 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
His lead counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, informed the court of the former prime minister’s intention to file a striking out application when the matter came up before High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan yesterday.
Shafee, who did not mention when he would file the application, said it would be based on the fact that the three charges were overlapping Najib’s seven charges involving RM42 million of the company’s funds in the ongoing trial, which has entered its 18th day.
“The three charges were riding on the seven charges, but they were knocked out in the end,” he said in reference to Najib’s three criminal breach of trust charges, one abuse of power charge and three money-laundering charges before judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali.
In his response to the prosecution’s request for trial dates to be fixed for two weeks, he said the charges did not seem to have predicated the offences on its own, which might be the reason why the prosecution was asking for a short time.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Budiman Lutfi Mohamed told the court that the prosecution maintained that the three Anti Money-Laundering Act (AMLA) charges were valid and proper.
“We will challenge the defence’s bid when they serve the notice by addressing that the charges are valid and proper in law.”
He asked for the court to fix the trial for two weeks.
Before setting the dates, Zaini said he was worried that the trial might take longer and fixed four weeks instead.
“My worry is that counsels said it will not take long but what if the trial does not end during the period? But if it ends within 14 days, that will be very good.”
He then fixed 13 days from June 2 to 25 next year.
“The trial dates are for 2020, from June 2 to 4, 9 to 11, 15 to 18, 23 to 25. We will take Fridays off,” Zaini said. He also fixed June 21 for case management.
Najib, 66, was charged with three money-laundering charges involving RM27 million from SRC International funds.
The charges were an addition to his seven charges involving the company’s funds totalling RM42 million.
He had sought for the seven charges to be declared defective, but this was dismissed by Nazlan.