KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak took the stand at the High Court on Dec 2 as the first defence witness in the RM2.28 billion (S$690 million) 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) graft trial.

       Najib’s lead counsel Shafee Abdullah told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah that his client has requested to the court that he read his 525-page witness statement.

       The witness statement is divided into two volumes due to its massive length.

       “He (Najib) has asked... it is his instruction to me that this witness statement be read because if it is not read, it would not register in his head,” Tan Sri Shafee said.

       A witness statement can be read out in court, or it can also be taken by the court as already been read.

       Mr Shafee said the defence team had been working under pressure to complete the witness statement within one month since Najib was ordered to enter his defence by the High Court on Oct 30.

       “This is the minimum we could do. Taking instructions from a client in the setting of a prison is not easy.

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       “It’s a very trying condition. When we are about to achieve something, it’s time to go back,” Mr Shafee said.

       The lawyer said Najib had been busy in prison giving instructions to his team and that some documents had to be left with him overnight for him to read.

       Justice Sequerah remarked that the defence team had done commendable work.

       “I wouldn’t consider it unreasonable (to read out the statement). He is the first witness,” he said.

       Justice Sequerah, however, asked Najib to read the statement at an accelerated pace.

       Mr Shafee then replied that his client was “one of the best” orators. “I will leave it to Najib to read it at his pace,” he said.

       According to the charges, the former Pekan MP is facing four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28 billion gratification from 1MDB’s funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.

       The abuse of power offences were allegedly committed at an AmIslamic Bank Berhad branch, Jalan Raja Chulan, Bukit Ceylon between Feb 24, 2011 and Dec 19, 2014.

       Meanwhile, the money laundering offences were allegedly committed at the same location between March 22 and Aug 30, 2013.

       The charges were framed under Section 23(1) of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act and punishable under Section 24(1) of the same Act.

       If he is convicted at the end of the defence case, Najib is facing imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine of five times the amount of gratification or RM10,000, whichever is higher.

       The hearing continues with Najib reading his witness statement. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK