After multiple postponements and a last-ditch effort to further delay the case till September 3, the Najib Razak and 1MDB trial will commence on August 28.
Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah decided on the new date, which is almost one week earlier than Najib's counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah had requested, claiming more time was required due to new information.
«Yesterday, we were served with another two volumes of documents,» said Najib's lawyer said, explaining difficulties that the defense was already facing from earlier documents and the potential impairment to the defense's preparation without an extension.
«We urge you to use the discretion and be sympathetic to us so that we can prepare our 1MDB case.»
The determined prosecution against Najib in the 1MDB trial follows the conclusion of his SRC International trial tomorrow. 42 million Malaysian ringgit ($10 million) was allegedly misappropriated from 1MDB into the SRC entity with claims of splurging ($800,000) for the Qatar sheik’s wife.
Najib, 66, faces 25 charges – four for abuse of power that allegedly brought him financial benefits to the tune of $550 million; and 21 for money laundering involving the same amount of money.
