Najib Objects to 80 Per Cent of Ex-CEO Shahrol’s Witness Statement in US$5.64 Billion 1MDB Suit

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 12 — Former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has raised formal objections against approximately 80 per cent of the 168-page witness statement submitted by former 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) chief executive officer Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, citing hearsay grounds.

The legal objection was highlighted during proceedings before High Court Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan Idrus today in 1MDB’s massive US$5.64 billion civil suit against Najib and six former executives.

1MDB’s counsel, Lee Shih, informed the court that the plaintiff’s legal team received a comprehensive table of objections from Najib’s defense early in the morning and requested time to evaluate the legal challenges before Shahrol Azral takes the witness stand.

“My Lord, this morning, the parties were served with a table of objections concerning Shahrol Azral’s witness statement, with about 80 per cent of its contents objected to on hearsay grounds,” Lee Shih told the court.

“Thus, we needed time to study this. Shahrol Azral is ready to give testimony starting from tomorrow,” he added.

Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Redzuan allowed the prosecution’s request for time, ordering the trial to resume tomorrow morning when Shahrol Azral is scheduled to deliver his oral testimony.

Prior to the adjournment, the third plaintiff witness, offshore asset recovery specialist Angela Barkhouse, was formally discharged from the stand after completing her detailed testimony, which had been underway since Monday.

The civil action was launched on May 7, 2021, by 1MDB alongside its four subsidiaries, namely 1MDB Energy Holdings Limited, 1MDB Energy Limited, 1MDB Energy (Langat) Limited, and Global Diversified Investment Company Limited (formerly known as 1MDB Global Investments Limited).

In their writ of summons, the plaintiffs named Najib as the primary defendant, alongside former 1MDB finance director Terrence Geh Choh Heng, former executive director Casey Tang Keng Chee, former chief investment officer Vincent Beng Huat Koh, former chief operating officer Radhi Mohamad, former investment director Kelvin Tan Kay Jim, and former chief investment officer Nik Faisal Ariff Kamil.

The sovereign wealth fund and its subsidiaries are seeking billion-dollar damages, accusing the defendants of breach of trust, breach of statutory duty, abuse of power, and fraudulent conspiracy to misappropriate 1MDB funds.

–NMT