SRC trial: Submissions concluded, decision to acquit or call Najib's defence on Nov 11

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 23): The prosecution and defence in Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak's SRC International Sdn Bhd trial have concluded their submissions at the end of the prosecution stage.

High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali will announce his decision on whether to acquit the former premier or ask him to call his defence at 10am on Nov 11.

Should the defence be called, Justice Nazlan has fixed dates beginning Dec 3 for the former premier to put up his case.

The defence is also offered some 60 witnesses should they decide to call them; these include former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz and former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.

A total of 57 witnesses have been called in by the prosecution to testify in the trial, which began in April this year, including former Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, former SRC CEO Tan Sri Ismee Ismail and former SRC director Datuk Suboh Md Yasin.

The former premier claimed trial to one charge of abuse of power, three charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and three charges of money laundering.

For the abuse of power allegation, he has been charged under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009 for using his position as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister to commit bribery involving RM42 million when he participated in or was involved in a decision on behalf of the Malaysian government to provide government guarantees for loans from the Retirement Fund Inc to SRC amounting to RM4 billion.

Najib is alleged to have committed the offence at the Prime Minister's Office, Precinct 1, Putrajaya, Federal Territory of Putrajaya, between Aug 17, 2011, and Feb 8, 2012.

If convicted, he faces a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value received or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

He also faces three CBT charges — the first as the PM, Finance Minister and adviser emeritus to SRC, and in those capacities entrusted with the control of SRC funds totalling RM4 billion, having committed CBT involving a sum of RM27 million.

The second and third charges are similar to the first, but they involve sums of RM5 million and RM10 million respectively.

All three offences are allegedly between Dec 24, 2014, and Feb 10, 2015 at AmBank Jalan Raja Chulan.

Najib is liable for a maximum jail term of up to 20 years, whipping and a fine, if convicted.

For money laundering, Najib is alleged to have received RM27 million, RM5 million and RM10 million respectively, which were proceeds from unlawful activities, via Real Time Electronic Transfer of Funds and Securities (Rentas) into two AmIslamic Bank Bhd accounts of his bearing the numbers 2112022011880 and 2112022011906 at AmIslamic Bank Bhd, AmBank Group Building, 55 Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur, between Dec 26, 2014, and Feb 10, 2015.

If convicted, he stands to face maximum 15 years' jail, and fine of up to RM5 million or five times the amount, whichever is higher, for each charge.

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