1MDB audit: Prosecution submits witness statements to defence

KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the alleged tampering of the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) final audit report case involving Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and 1MDB former chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy has handed over the witness statements of its eight witnesses to the defence team.

The matter was informed by deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Al-Saifi Hashim to High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan during the case management yesterday.

He said the prosecution was in the midst of completing 30 to 40 other witness statements to be submitted to the defence.

“All documents will be ready two weeks before the trial begins and the prosecution will submit the witness statements of other witnesses during the next case management,” he said.

Lawyers Rahmat Hazlan who represented Najib, 66, and Jasmine Cheong who acted for Arul Kanda, 43, confirmed having received the said witness statements.

Mohamed Zaini then set November 7 and 13 for further case management.

The court had earlier set November 18 to 29, 2019, and January 13 to 17, 2020, to hear the case.

On January 4 this year, the Sessions Court here granted the prosecution's application for the cases involving Najib and Arul Kanda to be heard together.

On December 12 last year, 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 against him.

He was charged, in his capacity as a public officer, which was as the Prime Minister, with using the position to obtain gratification for himself, which was 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, where he directly had interest in.

The Pekan MP was accused of committing the offence at the Prime Minister's Department Complex, Federal Government's Administrative Centre, the Federal Territory of Putrajaya between February 22 and February 26, 2016.

The charge is framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009 which carries a maximum jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of no less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.

Arul Kanda was charged with abetting Najib in making amendments to the report to protect the Pekan MP from being subjected to disciplinary, civil or criminal action in connection with 1MDB, at the same place and time and in accordance with Section 28 (1) (c) of the MACC Act 2009 read with Section 23 (1) & 24 (1) of the same act which provides for similar punishment, if found guilty. - Bernama