Najib's 1MDB trial vacated as no prosecution witnesses turn up to testify

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial this afternoon has been vacated after the High Court was informed that no prosecution witnesses will turn up to testify.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the prosecution had tried to call a few witnesses to come to the court but to no avail as most of the witnesses were working and had their own matters to attend to.

"We could not get them at very short notice. Most of them are at work. I apologise for this My Lord. Therefore, I'm humbly applying for the trial to be vacated for today. The next date for this trial is on Jan 26 and 27.

"We already prepared four witnesses to be on standby on those dates. The witnesses are former 1MDB chief financial officer Azmi Tahir, former 1MDB director Tan Sri Ismee Ismail, former chairman of 1MDB Tan Sri Mohd Bakke Salleh and Datuk Wan Ahmad Shihab Wan Ismail (Najib's former special officer).

"If anything happens, we will have a backup, not like today, I apologise for this," he said.

Trial judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah then thanked the prosecutor for his effort.

"See you all on Jan 26," said justice Sequerah.

During the proceedings this morning, the judge ordered the prosecution team to get other witnesses to testify after the 12th prosecution witness namely, Azmi, 49, who was supposed to continue to testify today, was down with fever.

The judge asked the prosecution to try to get at least one of the over 50 prosecution witnesses to attend the afternoon proceedings.

The Pekan MP is facing four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount.

-- BERNAMA