Najib, Arul Kanda’s audit tampering trial to resume next month

KUALA LUMPUR: The trial involving Datuk Seri Najib Razak and 1Malaysia Development Berhad chief executive officer Arul Kanda Kandasamy, who were jointly-charged with tampering the auditor-general’s (A-G) final 1MDB audit report will resume next month.

High Court judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan has fixed 15 days – June 15 to 18; July 27 to 30; Aug 10 to 13 and Aug 24 to 26 for the trial.

Deputy public prosecutor Rozalina Zakaria during case management today said they have another 20 witnesses to testify in the case.

Zaini then reminded the prosecution to submit their witness statements a week before the hearing.

Counsels Syahirah Hanapiah and Datuk N. Sivananthan appeared for Najib and Arul, respectively.

So far, seven prosecution witnesses have testified, including former chief secretary to the government Tan Sri Ali Hamsa and former auditor-general Tan Sri Ambrin Buang.

On Dec 12 last year, Arul Kanda, 43, was charged at the Sessions Court with committing the offence between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.

He allegedly abetted Najib, 66, in using the latter’s position as then-prime minister to order the amendment to the report.

On the same day, Najib was charged with using his position to order amendments to the 1MDB final audit report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to avoid any action being taken against him.

Najib was charged, in his capacity as a public officer, which was the prime minister, with using the position to obtain gratification for himself to evade disciplinary, civil or criminal action against him in connection with 1MDB, by ordering alterations to the 1MDB final audit report before it was finalised and tabled to the PAC, which he directly had interest in.

NST