“If I were to vacate the present trial dates, I would be hard pressed to find alternative dates,” Zaini said during case management today.
Ad hoc prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram had asked for the dates to be vacated as former 1MDB CEO Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi is still being cross-examined in the 1MDB case before trial judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah.
He said Shahrol’s testimony was of critical importance.
However, Zaini said the prosecution could call other formal witnesses first and Shahrol, later.
“Rest assured I will not pressure him (Shahrol) to give evidence here until he has completed his testimony in another court,” he added.
Najib is accused of using his position to obtain immunity from legal action in relation to allegations that he tampered with the 1MDB audit report between Feb 22 and 26, 2016.
The offence was said to have taken place at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya.
Former 1MDB CEO Arul Kanda Kandasamy was charged with abetting Najib in tampering with the report before it was tabled to the Public Accounts Committee.
The hearings before Sequerah scheduled for today and tomorrow were postponed as both Shahrol and Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah were unwell.
Lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammad said Shafee was diagnosed yesterday with a severe throat infection, and that he had been given three days’ medical leave until tomorrow.
Sri Ram meanwhile said Shahrol is still on medical leave.
The judge had fixed case management on Dec 13 although the next trial dates will run from Jan 6 to April 2.
In that case, Najib faces 25 charges of money laundering and abuse of power over alleged 1MDB funds in his AmBank accounts.
He is accused of abusing his position to obtain RM2.28 billion in bribes in February 2011 and December 2014.
He is also said to have transferred RM2.28 billion in illegal funds to his bank accounts and to have subsequently used the money.
On Monday, Najib was told to enter his defence for all charges of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering in relation to the transfer of RM42 million to his account from former 1MDB unit SRC International.
That case is expected to continue from Dec 3 to 19.