.jpg "Datuk Seri Najib Razak is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur High Court March 11, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Picture by Yusof Mat isa")
KUALA LUMPUR, April 1 — The High Court today fixed 10 additional trial dates for the joint trial of Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1Malaysia Development Berhad’s (1MDB) former CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy over the alleged tampering of a federal audit report on 1MDB.
When contacted, Najib’s lawyer Nur Syahirah Hanapiah confirmed to Malay Mail that the High Court had added the dates of September 6 to 9, October 4 to 7, and October 20 and 21 for the hearing of the trial.
This was following a case management today at the High Court.
The joint trial of Najib and Arul Kanda is set to resume on August 11 and 12.
Today’s 10 additional dates are on top of other previously scheduled trial dates of September 27 to 30, October 25 to 28, November 1 and 2, and November 29 and 30.
In this trial, Najib is accused of having abused his position to obtain protection from civil or criminal action regarding his role in the operations of 1MDB, by instructing in February 2016 for the Auditor-General’s finalised audit report on 1MDB to be amended before it was presented to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), while Arul Kanda is accused of having abetted Najib.
Due to the need to ensure a fair trial, the accused has to attend court proceedings in person throughout its duration.
Najib is facing several ongoing criminal trials, which means they have to be heard on separate days.
His appeal against his conviction in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case over RM42 million is scheduled to be heard at the Court of Appeal from April 5 to April 22, while his ongoing trial over more than RM2 billion of 1MDB funds is scheduled to resume in May, with scheduled trial dates every month from June to December.
