The Malaysian Insight

THE 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial enters its seventh day with Najib Razak’s former special officer, Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin, to continue his cross-examination by lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

During almost six hours of cross-examination yesterday, Shafee went through Amhari’s 77-page witness statement with a fine-tooth comb.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court heard that wanted financier Low Taek Jho, better known as Jho Low, was a favourite of the former prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor.

Amhari, the eighth prosecution witness, testified that Rosmah had invited Low to exclusive parties at her Jalan Duta private residence that was also attended by royalty and VVIPs.

Rosmah also spoke to Low regularly over the phone when the Penang-born businessman was at meetings with Amhari.

The witness testified that Low tried to get government officials, including Najib, to say he was not involved in the 1MDB scandal after news on it broke in 2015.

Low allegedly told Najib’s then principal private secretary, Azlin Alias, and Amhari to issue a statement with frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the state investor.

The financier specifically instructed them to include in the FAQs that he was not involved in 1MDB.

Najib is on trial for four counts of power abuse to enrich himself with RM2.3 billion from 1MDB and 21 counts of money-laundering.

The 66-year-old is represented by a dozen lawyers.

Gopal Sri Ram, a former Federal Court justice, leads the prosecution before high court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

Shafee had told Sequerah that he expected to finish his cross-examination of Amhari today.

The Malaysian Insight brings you today’s proceedings live:

9.48am: I suppose this is unavoidable, says presiding judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah. He then adjourns today’s proceedings.

9.47am: Lawyer Gopal Sri Ram, acting for the prosecution, says his team has nothing to add, and will wait for the medical report.

9.44am: Lead defence lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah tells the court that his client, Najib, called at 7.15am to say he has conjunctivitis and has to see a specialist.

Shafee: Yesterday’s outing and the haze hasn’t helped my client’s conjunctivitis. His appointment with the specialist is at 10.30am at Gardens Mall. I can present a medical chit. Going by what we know, conjunctivitis is highly infectious. It is likely that he will be unavailable today and tomorrow. We will present the medical report to the court later.

9.42am: Najib Razak’s stepson, Riza Aziz, is seated in the front row of the public gallery. – September 11, 2019.