1MDB trial adjourned as Najib catches conjunctivitis

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday adjourned Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial as the former prime minister has caught conjunctivitis in both eyes.

Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah allowed Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s application to postpone the trial on medical grounds and it was also not objected by the prosecution team.

“My lord, this morning at 7.15 am, I received a call from my client and also from his wife, informed me that he has been infected with conjunctivitis in his eyes that could have been due to haze...he went for outing yesterday night.

“At this moment, he is at home. My client had informed me that he can only meet with the specialist at Garden Mall at 10.30 am. I suspect that he will be on medical for today, at least, or until tomorrow,” he said.

Meanwhile, senior deputy public prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram did not object to the application.

Justice Sequerah held that if Najib obtained one day medical leave, the proceedings would resume today (September 12).

“If the medical leave is for two days, the hearing will resume on Tuesday,” he said.

On August 14, the accused’s corruption trial over RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd has been adjourned as he has contracted infectious conjunctivitis.

Today the defence team is scheduled to continue with the cross examination of Najib’s former special officer Datuk Amhari Efendi Nazaruddin, 43, who was the eighth prosecution witness.

Najib, 66, is facing four charges of abusing his position to corruptly obtain RM2.3 billion of 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering related to the money.

The Pekan MP allegedly committed the four offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan branch, Bukit Ceylon here between February 24, 2011, and December 19, 2014, and the 21 charges, between March 22, 2013, and August 30, 2013, at the same place. - Bernama