KUALA LUMPUR (May 27): The prosecution notified the High Court on Monday that 20 witnesses are scheduled to testify in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM27 million money laundering trial in relation to SRC International Sdn Bhd, which is scheduled to begin from Sept 17 for five days.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul informed judge K Muniandy that the prosecution already handed nine witness statements to Najib’s counsel from Messrs Shafee & Co last Thursday.

He said that the prosecution will give further witness statements of the witnesses when they are ready, and that it had also handed two bundles of documents last Monday.

“There will be a maximum of 20 witnesses scheduled to testify in this case. Some of the witnesses will testify orally, while others will give their written witness statements,” Ashrof replied to Muniandy, when asked how many witnesses will be testifying.

Ashrof added that they are proceeding with the scheduled trial in September, but suggested Aug 17 as another case management date before the judge.

Najib’s counsel Wan Mohammad Arfan Wan Othman acknowledged to the High Court that the defence had received the witness statements, and also the two bundles of documents handed by the prosecution.

But when Muniandy asked whether the trial dates fixed for September are doable, Wan Mohammad Arfan said he was unable to reply, as the dates fixed earlier by the court - Sept 17, 18 19, 23 and 24 - may clash with the trial dates set for the 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial before Court of Appeal judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

SRC is a former subsidiary of 1MDB.

Ashrof, meanwhile, maintained that the five dates are suitable for the prosecution.

On the other hand, Wan Mohammad Arfan said the defence could update the court on the next case management date.

In this case, Najib is facing three counts of money laundering. He is currently serving six years' jail and a RM50 million fine over the first SRC case, following a pardon that had reduced the sentence of 12 years in jail and a RM210 million fine.

In the second SRC case, the former prime minister is alleged to have received the sum of RM27 million in three separate transactions, which went into his AmBank account in July 2014.

The three charges were made against Najib after the first SRC trial had commenced. 

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