Court fixes 10 more days for Najib, Arul Kanda trial

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has fixed an additional 10 days for the audit tampering trial involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) former chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy.

Najib’s lawyer Nur Syahirah Hanapiah said High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas, during case management yesterday, fixed Sept 6 to Sept 9, Oct 4 to Oct 7, and Oct 20 to Oct 21 for the hearings.

She said the trial would resume for two days on Aug 11 and Aug 12.

Deputy public prosecutor Nadia Zulkifli appeared for the prosecution, while counsel Goh Sia Yee represented Arul Kanda.

On Dec 12, 2019, Arul Kanda was charged in the Sessions Court with committing the offence between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.

He allegedly abetted Najib in using the latter’s position as the then prime minister to order the amendment to the report.

On the same day, Najib was charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action being taken against him.

Najib was charged, in his capacity as a public officer, with using his position to obtain gratification for himself to evade disciplinary, civil or criminal action against him in connection with 1MDB, by ordering alterations to the 1MDB final audit report before it was finalised and tabled to the PAC, which he directly had an interest in.