Prosecution to call two more witnesses before closing lawyer Shafee's case

KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the trial of lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is facing charges of money laundering and making false statements to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), will call two more witnesses before closing the case.

Deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Hamid said this when met by reporters after the case management before High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin today.

"The two witnesses who will be called are an officer from the IRB and the case investigating officer," he said.

So far, six prosecution witnesses have testified in the trial which began last May 21.

Meanwhile, during the case management, Judge Muhammad Jamil set Feb 10, 15 and 22 and March 1, 28 and 29 next year to continue hearing of the case.

Afzainizam said the court set new dates as the trial of the case, which had been fixed on Dec 10, had to be postponed because Muhammad Shafee and his lawyer, Harvinderjit Singh, were in quarantined after being in close contact with Muhammad Shafee's son, Muhammad Farhan, who tested positive for COVID-19.

On Sept 13, 2018, Muhammad Shafee pleaded not guilty to two charges of receiving RM9.5 million which were proceeds from unlawful activities through two cheques issued by former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak which were deposited into his CIMB Bank Berhad account.

He was also charged with two counts of engaging in transactions resulting from illegal activities, namely submitting incorrect tax returns, which is in violation of paragraph 113 (1) (a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for the financial years ending Dec 31, 2013, and Dec 31, 2014.

-- BERNAMA