00:00Dato' Sri Najib Razak is taking the stand at the Kuala Lumpur High Court as the first
00:07defence witness in the RM2.28 billion One Malaysia Development Berhadgraf trial.
00:13Najib's lead counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafi Abdullah had informed Justice Colin Lawrence
00:18Sequeira on Monday that his client has requested to the court that he read his 525-page witness
00:25statement.
00:26The witness statement is divided into two volumes due to its massive length.
00:32A witness statement can be read out in court or it can also be taken by the court as already
00:37been read.
00:38Muhammad Shafi said the defence team had been working under pressure to complete the witness
00:43statement within one month since Najib was ordered to enter his defence by the High Court
00:49on October 30.
00:51The lawyer said Najib had been busy in prison giving instructions to his team and that some
00:55documents had to be left with him overnight for him to read.
00:59Justice Sequeira remarked that the defence team had done a commendable work.
01:04He however, asked Najib to read the statement at an accelerated pace.
01:08So this case is what, 525 pages?
01:12That's right.
01:13525 pages, only his statement, written statement.
01:16Correct.
01:17So how long do you think the rest of the...
01:18Take about 10 days.
01:1910 days to finish that?
01:20Yes.
01:21And then after that there is the witnesses to be called?
01:23Other witnesses?
01:25Immediately after that you have of course further examination in chief orally that I
01:31may want to ask for clarification.
01:34And thereafter there will be cross-examination and then the re-examination.
01:41Only then he's finished.
01:42I think he will take about 14 days all in all.
01:46Najib is facing four counts of using his position to obtain 2.28 billion ringgit gratification
01:52from 1MDB's funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
01:58If he is convicted at the end of the defence case, Najib is facing imprisonment up to 20
02:04years and a fine of five times the amount of gratification or 10,000 ringgit, whichever
02:10is higher.
02:11The hearing continues with Najib reading his witness statement.
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