Datuk Seri Najib Razak took the stand at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday (Dec 2) as the first defence witness in the RM2.28bil 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) graft trial.
Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client has requested to the court that he read his 525-page witness statement.
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Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client has requested to the court that he read his 525-page witness statement.
Read more at https://shorturl.at/2C1Dt
WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news
SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar
LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline
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NewsTranscript
00:00Dato' Sri Najib Razak is taking the stand at the Kuala Lumpur High Court as the first
00:07defence witness in the RM2.28 billion One Malaysia Development Berhadgraf trial.
00:13Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafi Abdullah had informed Justice Colin Lawrence
00:18Sequeira on Monday that his client has requested to the court that he read his 525-page witness
00:25statement.
00:26The witness statement is divided into two volumes due to its massive length.
00:32A witness statement can be read out in court or it can also be taken by the court as already
00:37been read.
00:38Muhammad Shafi said the defence team had been working under pressure to complete the witness
00:43statement within one month since Najib was ordered to enter his defence by the High Court
00:49on October 30.
00:51The lawyer said Najib had been busy in prison giving instructions to his team and that some
00:55documents had to be left with him overnight for him to read.
00:59Justice Sequeira remarked that the defence team had done a commendable work.
01:04He however, asked Najib to read the statement at an accelerated pace.
01:08So this case is what, 525 pages?
01:12That's right.
01:13525 pages, only his statement, written statement.
01:16Correct.
01:17So how long do you think the rest of the...
01:18Take about 10 days.
01:1910 days to finish that?
01:20Yes.
01:21And then after that there is the witnesses to be called?
01:23Other witnesses?
01:25Immediately after that you have of course further examination in chief orally that I
01:31may want to ask for clarification.
01:34And thereafter there will be cross-examination and then the re-examination.
01:41Only then he's finished.
01:42I think he will take about 14 days all in all.
01:46Najib is facing four counts of using his position to obtain 2.28 billion ringgit gratification
01:52from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
01:58If he is convicted at the end of the defence case, Najib is facing imprisonment up to 20
02:04years and a fine of five times the amount of gratification or 10,000 ringgit, whichever
02:10is higher.
02:11The hearing continues with Najib reading his witness statement.