Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Bhd trial has been adjourned after the high court was informed that the former prime minister’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah was ill.
One of the lawyers in Najib’s defence team informed High Court judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah that Shafee was down with a severe throat infection.
He said Shafee had seen a doctor yesterday and obtained a medical chit (MC) for today and tomorrow.
“We have no choice but to seek for an adjournment today and the trial tomorrow to be vacated also.
“Tan Sri Shafee actually wanted to be here today, but his condition just did not enable him to be present,” said Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohamad.
Earlier, senior deputy public prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram also informed the court that the prosecution witness, former 1MDB chief Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi is still ill and has extended his medical leave until tomorrow.
Sequerah then said that the court had no choice but to adjourn the trial today and also vacate tomorrow’s hearing.
He added that he intends to keep the case management date on December 13 when he will have to set further hearing dates, likely for next year, and to ensure they do not clash with the SRC International hearing, which is set to begin on December 3 and run until December 19.
The 1MDB audit report tampering case will begin on Monday, where Najib and former 1MDB chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy are charged jointly.