KUALA LUMPUR — The High Court here yesterday adjourned to next Monday the trial of Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s SRC International Sdn Bhd case as the former prime minister has caught conjunctivitis in both eyes.
Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali allowed Najib’s lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah’s application to postpone the trial on medical grounds and it was also not objected by the prosecution.
Muhammad Shafee asked for postponement as his client was granted a three-day medical leave until Friday.
“My lord, this morning at 7.45 am, I received a call from Datuk Seri Najib, who obviously did not sound well and he informed me that he suspected having conjunctivitis in both eyes.
“This must have happened overnight because I have been made to understand by Dr Balqis, an eye specialist from Mid-Valley, that it must have started yesterday,” he said.
Muhammad Shafee also said pictures of the medical certificate and photographs of Najib’s eyes condition had also been received through WhatsApp and shown to ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram.
“On the part of the prosecution. I confirm that it looks pretty bad in both eyes. Due to the medical condition of the accused, the prosecution supports the defence’s application for adjournment,” said Sithambaram.
Justice Mohd Nazlan asked whether Najib could recover by Friday and Muhammad Shafee replied that the doctor advised his client not to come into contact with anyone as his condition is infectious.
“Given the reason for the application for an adjournment is on medical grounds and naturally not objected by the prosecution, the court has no choice but to adjourn the matter and for the matter to be called for case management on Monday,” the judge said.
Muhammad Shafee said the defence would still need about two days to cross-examine the prosecution’s last witness, Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Special Operations Division Senior Assistant Commissioner, Rosli Husain.
The prosecution was supposed to continue with examination-in-chief of Rosli on the 53rd day of the trial today.
At 9 am on Monday, the defence and prosecution will be present before high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah, the presiding 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial judge, to learn whether or not the latter would give up 1MDB hearing dates to give way for the SRC trial to finish first as the court is now hearing the evidence from last prosecution witness.
The 1MDB’s trial is scheduled to commence on Monday.
The SRC case management would start at 10 am after the parties meeting Justice Sequerah.
Najib, 66, is facing three counts of criminal breach of trust, one count of abusing his position and three counts of money laundering involving SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42 million.
He is also facing four counts of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering involving 1MDB funds amounting to RM2.28 billion.
— BERNAMA
