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THE defence and prosecution will present their oral submissions in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's RM2.3 billion 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) corruption trial today.
Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah set the proceedings from today until October 24, and from October 27 to 31.
The arguments will be heard before the court decides whether the former Prime Minister is convicted or acquitted.
If found guilty, Najib, who is also the former Finance Minister, faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of five times the value of the bribe or RM10,000, whichever is higher.
On May 6, lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, representing Najib, closed the defence case after completing the re-examination of the last witness, forensic document expert Tay Eue Kam.
The trial, which began on August 28, 2019, saw the prosecution close its case on May 30, 2024 after lasting 233 days and involving 50 witnesses.
On October 30, 2024, the court ordered Najib to enter his defence, with defence proceedings commencing on December 2, 2024 and ending on May 6.
During that period, the defence called 26 witnesses in proceedings that lasted 58 days.
Najib, 71, faces four charges of using his position to obtain bribes totalling RM2.3 billion from 1MDB funds at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Jalan Raja Chulan between February 24, 2011 and December 19, 2014.
He was charged under Section 23(1) of the MACC Act 2009 and is punishable under Section 24(1) of the same act.
As for the 21 money laundering charges, Najib is accused of committing the act at the same bank between March 22 and August 30, 2013, under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of five years, a fine of RM5 million or both, if convicted.The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutors, Datuk Ahmad Akram Gharib and Kamal Baharin Omar.
Najib has been serving a prison sentence at Kajang Prison since 23 August 2022 after being convicted in a separate criminal case involving the embezzlement of RM42 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
Following the conviction, the former Pekan MP filed a royal pardon petition on 2 September 2022, which led to a reduction in his prison sentence from 12 years to six years and a fine from RM210 million to RM50 million. – October 21, 2025