Datuk Seri Najib Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court, August 25,2022 — Picture by Devan Manuel
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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — Imprisoned former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has arrived in the courtroom at level four of the Kuala Lumpur court complex here for his 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial before High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
Having spent two nights in prison after the Federal Court maintained his conviction and 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine sentencing in his separate SRC case, Najib walked into the courtroom at 10.40am for the 1MDB trial in a dark blue suit with thin stripes, light blue shirt and blue-and-red striped tie.
He was not handcuffed when he walked in, and nodded to those in the public gallery.
A number of uniformed prison officers were sighted within the courtroom when he walked in, apart from the usual police officers stationed in the courtroom.
Today is the first time that Najib is attending one of his criminal trials since his imprisonment over the misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd, which is a government-owned company which was briefly parked under 1MDB in the past.
In the 1MDB trial, Najib is facing 25 charges over the alleged misappropriation of RM2.28 billion of 1MDB funds, namely four abuse of power charges and 21 money laundering charges.
The 1MDB prosecution team’s tables were as usual virtually covered by stacks of documents which are used as evidence in the trial, with boxes of other court documents also seen in the room.
The courtroom was fully occupied by lawyers, Najib’s staff and supporters, and media personnel, all complying with social distancing rules and holding entry passes. Police officers stood guard outside the courtroom door and carried out security checks on those who entered.
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