KUALA LUMPUR: The prosecution in the trial of lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, who is facing charges of money laundering and making false statements to the Inland Revenue Board (IRB), will call two more witnesses before closing its case.

       According to deputy public prosecutor Afzainizam Abdul Hamid, who spoke to reporters after case management before High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin on Friday (Dec 17), the witnesses are an IRB officer and the case investigating officer.

       So far, six prosecution witnesses have testified in the trial which began on May 21.

       During case management, Judge Muhammad Jamil set Feb 10, 15 and 22 and March 1, 28 and 29 next year to continue hearing of the case.

       Afzainizam said the court set new dates as the trial of the case, which had been fixed on Dec 10, had to be postponed after Muhammad Shafee and his lawyer Harvinderjit Singh went into quarantine for being close contacts of Muhammad Shafee's son Muhammad Farhan, who tested positive for Covid-19.

       On Sept 13, 2018, Muhammad Shafee pleaded not guilty to two charges of receiving RM9.5mil said to be proceeds from unlawful activities through two cheques deposited into his CIMB Bank Berhad account, issued by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

       Muhammad Shafee was also charged with two counts of engaging in transactions resulting from illegal activities, namely submitting incorrect tax returns in violation of paragraph 113 (1) (a) of the Income Tax Act 1967 for the financial years ending Dec 31, 2013, and Dec 31, 2014. – Bernama