Hearing of Najib’s 1MDB audit report case extended 10 more days

The hearing of Najib Razak and former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy’s case over alleged tampering with the final 1MDB audit report has been extended another 10 days until October.

Najib’s lawyer, Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, said the additional dates for the trial were set by High Court deputy registrar Catherine Nicholas during case management in her chambers today.

“The court has set Aug 11 and 12 to continue hearing the case, while the additional dates given to hear the case are Sept 6 to 9, Oct 4 to 7 and Oct 20 and 21,” she said.

So far, seven prosecution witnesses including former chief secretary to the government Ali Hamsa and former auditor-general Ambrin Buang have been called to testify at the trial before judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan.

Najib, 67, is charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB audit report which was already “finalised” by the auditor-general before the report was “finalised again” and presented before the Public Accounts Committee to avoid any action taken against him.

Arul Kanda, 44, is charged with abetting Najib in making amendments to the report to protect the Pekan MP from being subjected to disciplinary, civil or criminal action in connection with 1MDB.

They were charged with committing the offence at the complex of the Prime Minister’s Department, Federal Government Administrative Centre, between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.

They were charged under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2009, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher, upon conviction.