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Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak is back in court, and today he will be charged together with former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah.
The duo is expected to be charged over 1MDB’s payments to Abu Dhabi-based International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC), which were allegedly linked to money from Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) and a pension fund.
Meanwhile, former spy chief Hasanah Abdul Hamid will also be brought to court today to face criminal breach of trust (CBT) charges.
Malaysiakini reports from the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex live.
LIVE REPORTS
10.10am: The sixth and final charge of criminal breach of trust against Najib and Irwan, involve RM2 billion in government funds. The duo is accused of committing the crime on Dec 18, 2017.
In total, they are accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving RM6.63 billion of government funds.
According to sources, these funds were used to pay IPIC as per their settlement with 1MDB in April 2017.
10.08am: In the fourth charge against Najib and Irwan, they are accused of committing criminal breach of trust involving RM1.3 billion of government subsidy and cash aid funds allocated under Budget 2017.
Sources told Malaysiakini that the sum involved was meant for the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M).
They are accused of committing the crime on Aug 10, 2017.
Najib and Irwan’s fifth charge is for criminal breach of trust involving 1.95 billion Chinese Yuen (RM1.26 billion) of government funds on Aug 23, 2017.
10.06am: The second charge against Najib and Irwan is for committing criminal breach of trust involving RM655 million of government funds, also on Dec 21, 2016.
Sources told Malaysiakini that these were funds from the Suria Strategic Energy Resources (SSER) pipeline projects.
Najib and Irwan’s third charge is for criminal breach of trust involving RM220 million of funds for Kuala Lumpur International Airport Bhd (KLIAB) allocated under Budget 2017 for operating expenses.
They are accused of committing the crime on Aug 3, 2017.
10.05am: Court is back in session.
Najib and Irwan are being charged together.
In the first charge, the duo in their respective capacities as finance minister and treasury secretary-general, have committed criminal breach of trust involving RM1.2 billion of government funds on Dec 21, 2016.
They claim trial to the charge.
Sources told Malaysiakini that these were funds from the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project.
They are being charged under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries with it a jail term of between two to 20 years, caning, and a possible fine.
However, both Najib and Irwan will be spared from being whipped, as the law exempts those above 50 from the punishment except in cases involving rape. Najib is 65, and Irwan is 61.
9.35am: Pasir Salak MP Tajuddin Abdul Rahman arrives alone and is here to offer his moral support to “my friend”.
“I am here alone. My ex-boss, my friend. When your friend has a problem, what would you do? I don’t know about your culture, but my culture is like that. We value friendship. In any circumstances, we must show our sympathy.
“It’s a court case, let the court decide lah. He is not found guilty yet. Sometimes the public likes to prejudge. Public trial… it’s not fair. I’m not saying he is wrong or right but give him space,” he says.
9.20am: Shafee asks for the court to adjourn for 30 minutes to an hour to study the charges to allow him to advise his client accordingly.
He says he was only provided with a copy of the charge sheet at 8.55am although he has been asking for it since last night.
“The charges were shown to my client Najib at a glance when he was questioned by the MACC yesterday. I’m confused why it can be shown but a copy can’t be given (to the defence team),” Shafee says.
Lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram does not object.
Sessions Judge Azman Ahmad allows Shafee’s request.
The court goes into 30-minute recess.
9.18am: Court is in session.
9.10am: Zahid and Najib’s son Ashman enter the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court 14 and take their seats at the public gallery.
Ashman is clad in a black suit and looks calm.
9.01am: Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi arrives in a black Totoya Vellfire.
He comes alone, wearing a light blue shirt and a black suit.
The former deputy prime minister then gives his trademark smile and waves at the reporters.
Asked if he is there to support Najib, Zahid replies: “Of course, I’m here to extend my moral support.”
8.37am: Former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) director-general Hasanah Abdul Hamid is already in the court complex.
Unlike Najib and Irwan who arrived at the main lobby, Hasanah was brought in a few minutes ago through another entrance.
8.20am: Former premier and finance minister Najib Abdul Razak arrives in at the Kuala Lumpur court complex in a black Proton Perdana, minutes after the MACC brought in Irwan.
Dressed in a grey suit, Najib is all smiles as he waves to the media while making his way into the court building.
8.15am: Former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar Abdullah arrives, clad in a black suit.
He is brought to court from the MACC lock-up in a black Hyundai Starex van.
Meanwhile, Umno supreme council member Lokman Noor Adam and about 10 supporters are spotted at the court complex lobby.
Earlier, he said in a text message that he did not expect many supporters today as he had blasted the invitation for the solidarity gathering late last night.
7.55am: Najib, Irwan, and Hasanah are expected to be charged in the same Sessions Court.
Meanwhile, unlike two previous occasions where Najib was charged, no supporters have yet been spotted at the court complex.
Some 20 police officers are stationed outside the building, while journalists are queuing up to get a seat inside the courtroom.
Najib’s leading counsel will be lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, while Irwan is represented by lead counsel K Kumaraendran, Dev Kumaraendran, Lavinia Kumaraendran, Geethan Ram Vincent and Revin Kumar.
Hasanah’s legal team consists of lawyers Shaharudin Ali, Mohd Khairul Azam and Imran Khairi Osman.
7.50am: Today will be Najib’s fourth time in court to face charges, after previously being slapped with 32 charges.
Najib is allowed to spend the night at home this time instead of being detained overnight by the MACC.
Former Treasury secretary-general Irwan Serigar, however, had to spend the night at the MACC lock-up.
The duo’s charges today are expected to mainly revolve around 1MDB’s dealings with IPIC, particularly a 2017 settlement between the two parties in which the troubled Malaysian sovereign fund paid US$1.2 billion to the Abu Dhabi state-owned company.
This is after IPIC backed out from its 2015 deal to bail out 1MDB, which at the time had struggled to pay back a bank loan.
Investigators reportedly looked into how Najib’s former administration entered into the settlement using taxpayer funds without seeking cabinet approval.
Meanwhile, former Malaysian External Intelligence Organisation (MEIO) director Hasanah is expected to be charged today for misappropriation of US$12 million of government funds.
Malaysiakini had previously reported that some intelligence officers attached to the division may have received the US$12 million from a foreign source via a Middle Eastern country ahead of the May 9 general election.
The officers had allegedly abused their authority to facilitate bringing the cash into Malaysia through an airport.
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