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Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah arrives at Kuala Lumpur Excessive Courtroom October 11, 2022. — Image by Hari Anggara
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 11 — Excessive Courtroom choose Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah right now sternly and firmly advised Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s attorneys that they can’t carry on suspending their cross-examination of witnesses within the 1Malaysia Growth Berhad (1MDB) trial.
This happened after Najib’s lawyer Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed knowledgeable the court docket that Najib’s lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah might be dealing with the cross-examination of fortieth prosecution witness Kok Tuck Cheong.
The 67-year-old Kok is the previous managing director of AmInvestment Financial institution and had learn out his witness assertion in court docket right now, and had accomplished his examination-in-chief stage.
Wan Aizuddin then requested for the defence to be allowed to postpone its cross-examination of Kok as Shafee was dealing with one other case in one other Excessive Courtroom right here this morning.
Prosecution witnesses would offer testimony on the examination-in-chief stage which is when they may testify and reply questions from the prosecution to supply clarification, earlier than answering questions by Najib’s attorneys throughout the cross-examination stage and earlier than the prosecution then asks closing questions on the re-examination stage for the witness to make clear their solutions. It is just after the re-examination stage {that a} witness is taken into account to have accomplished their testimony in court docket.
Former managing director AmInvestment Financial institution Berhad Kok Tuck Cheong leaves the Kuala Lumpur Excessive Courtroom October 11, 2022. — Image by Hari Anggara
1MDB trial’s lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram then instantly highlighted to the court docket that the prosecution has been saved ready, with a number of prosecution witnesses nonetheless ready for Najib’s attorneys to begin or full cross-examination.
“We’ve stacked up witnesses. We’ve Mark Lim who has not accomplished his proof, we now have Mr Cheah who has not accomplished his proof, we now have this witness, we now have Mr Yap. I’m not able to name my subsequent witness, except all these individuals are cleared up, in any other case I am dropping depend,” he advised the Excessive Courtroom.
Sri Ram mentioned this has additionally brought about issue for the prosecution in arranging for re-examination and that it “makes our lives very troublesome”, stressing that he had already tried to accommodate as a lot as doable.
Choose Collin then additionally expressed his frustration as he gave a agency instruction to Najib’s authorized crew, saying: “I believe I’ve additionally accommodated as a lot as I can. To any extent further, if Tan Sri Shafee is unable to conduct cross-examination, Encik Wan, you must step up. I’ve accommodated, we won’t maintain reserving cross-examination and have the trial performed by instalment again and again.”
“I’ve accommodated as a lot as I can, I can’t transcend this,” the choose mentioned, saying that he would in any other case think about the defence crew to have accomplished cross-examination if they don’t perform any cross-examination whereas ready for Shafee to be obtainable.
Wan Aizuddin mentioned he did ask questions throughout cross-examination to sure prosecution witnesses, and that he was not ready to conduct cross-examination at this level.
The choose nevertheless once more firmly affirmed his instruction and highlighted the Excessive Courtroom’s time that will be wasted with the deferred cross-examination of Kok.
“We’ve to decide on, we can’t have it each methods, that is how the trial goes to be run henceforth, it is as much as you all,” he mentioned. “What I am saying, hereafter, there might be no extra reserving of cross-examination, that is what I am saying. So what will we do now with the time we now have left, what will we do now till afternoon?”
“So I will lose few hours after which we resume, 2.30pm, Tan Sri Shafee might be right here. What I am saying is past right now, I am unable to accede to request from defence to order any extra cross-examination,” he mentioned.
The choose identified that Najib’s authorized crew is an enormous crew and Wan Aizuddin would have the ability to perform any cross-examination with out having to attend for Shafee to do it personally.
“You all have an enormous crew, I believe you might be greater than able to cross-examining, you might be acquainted with the details of the case, you have got cross-examined different witnesses. That is one thing to pay attention to for future witnesses, I am unable to accede to any extra requests. I suppose we now have to reconvene at 2.30pm,” the choose mentioned.
Lawyer Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram arrives on the Kuala Lumpur Excessive Courtroom September 27, 2022. — Image by Yusof Mat Isa
Sri Ram identified that he himself has different court docket instances to deal with as a lawyer however that he has made changes to have the ability to attend the 1MDB trial, together with requesting to a different court docket to reschedule a case which entails his 94-year-old shopper and likewise coming straight to the 1MDB trial at any time when he finishes with different instances in Putrajaya.
“So we’re additionally making makes an attempt, we’re making changes you see,” he mentioned, including: “So all of us have to regulate ourselves.”
The choose then once more requested Wan Aizuddin to pay attention to his directions whereas noting that this was not of Wan Aizuddin’s doing, and stressing that the latter is greater than able to taking up when Shafee is just not obtainable for the 1MDB trial.
“It is truthful of me to offer you advance warning. This would be the state of affairs, if Tan Sri Shafee is unable to cross-examine and you might be unable to step up, the prosecution will re-examine. We can’t be ready for different courts to complete,” the choose mentioned.
Wan Aizuddin then replied: “Yang Arif, I duly observe Yang Arif’s concern and course in addition to issues raised by my realized good friend. I’ll inform senior counsel and we’ll act accordingly.”
Najib was seen within the courtroom right now sporting a lightweight brown go well with with a brown tie, whereas Najib’s spouse Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor and his daughter Nooryana Najwa have been current within the courtroom throughout the trial.
The trial will proceed this afternoon.
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