KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — Hearing for Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM42 million SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption trial at the High Court today has been adjourned to tomorrow after two of his defence lawyers fell sick.

Another member of the defence team, Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed told High Court Judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that Harvinderjit Singh and Farhan Read would not be able to continue with their cross-examination as both had taken ill.

“The counsel cross examining, Harvinderjit, has taken ill and was in the need of medical assistance, while the lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah is currently engaged in another case. 

“Unfortunately, the other counsel Farhan, has also taken ill and was in fact absent during yesterday’s proceedings,” Wan Aizuddin told the court.

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Najib’s lawyers were expected to continue with the cross examination of the prosecution’s 54th witness, former AmBank relationship manager Joanna Yu Ging Ping. 

The judge then asked if the other defence lawyers could not take over, noting that both Datuk Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin and Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abidin have been attending the trial.

Wan Aizuddin explained that he had not received instructions over their availability or about them conducting the cross-examination.  

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Datuk V. Sithambaram acting for the prosecution then told the court that Harvinderjit had personally contacted him at 6.30am today to inform him of his condition. 

“The stance of the prosecution from the beginning was to have the trial run and complete on schedule, but we don’t want to seem unreasonable and insist to continue when he is unwell,” Sithambaram said, referring to Harvinderjit.

Sithambaram added that no other witness was available to testify today as the prosecution did not anticipate the defence being unable to continue with their cross-examination of Yu.

Mohd Nazlan then adjourned hearing to tomorrow morning.

He also ordered the sick lawyers to submit their medical certificates to court.

“In the case Harvinderjit is still unwell, arrangements have to be made for another counsel to continue the cross-examination or for another witness to be arranged,” he added.

Mohd Nazlan set August 9 as a replacement for today’s date.