A last-minute attempt by the defence to delay the trial by filing a motion to challenge the charges was unsuccessful, as Najib Razak stood in the dock to defend seven of the 42 charges against him.
Former Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak, accused of money laundering, criminal breach of trust and abuse of power in conjunction with the 1MDB scandal, appeared at the Jalan Duta High Court complex in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Wednesday on the first day of what is expected to be a historic trial.
The trial involves RM42 million allegedly belonging to 1MDB, that Attorney General Tommy Thomas said was channelled into Razak's bank accounts between 17 August 2011 and 8 February 2012, using two subsidiary companies of SRC International, which was set up by 1MDB.
Razak's faces a total of seven charges in his first trial, which includes three counts of criminal breach of trust, which carries a penalty of 2-20 years in prison, whipping, and a fine; one count of abuse of power, which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and a minimum fine of RM10,000 or five times the value of money, whichever is higher; and three counts of money laundering, which has a maximum 15 year jail term and a fine of at least RM5 million or five times the value of money, whichever is higher.
«Not Above the Law»
«The Accused is not above the law and his prosecution and this trial should serve as precedents for all future holders of this august office,» Thomas said in the prosecution's opening statements.
He outlined how Razak spent the money, which included issuing 15 personal cheques totalling RM11 million for renovations of his homes and to various Barisan Nasional component political parties, as well as a RM500,000 ($130,625) shopping spree at a Chanel boutique in Honolulu, Hawaii in December 2014.
The proceedings went on for three hours, Malaysian newspaper The Star reported. One prosecution witness has testified so far — Muhamad Akmaluddin Abdullah, a 35-year-old assistant registrar at the Companies Commission of Malaysia. The trial continues on April 15.
Other Cases
Dates have been fixed for Razak's appearance in court for two other cases ― 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over more than RM2 billion of 1MDB funds (from April 15), and six counts of criminal breach of trust of some RM6.64 billion of government funds (from July 8).
There are another two cases, one involving a 1MDB audit report tampering and another involving money laundering amounting to RM27 million, but trial dates have yet to be fixed.
