Kuala Lumpur: The Home Affairs Ministry plans to quash the subpoena issued by former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to summon Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain as a witness in his ongoing trial, the High Court was informed. This announcement was made today during the trial proceedings.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Home Affairs Ministry legal advisor Muhammad Ilmami Ahmad informed Justice Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah, currently serving as a Court of Appeal judge, that despite Najib’s legal team serving the subpoena on April 14, no justification was provided for the relevance of Razarudin’s testimony to the defense’s case. Muhammad Ilmami stated, ‘Therefore, we are requesting time to file an application against the subpoena.’
Najib’s counsel, Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin, clarified that the defense aimed to question Razarudin regarding former Goldman Sachs banker Roger Ng Chong Hwa and sought updates on the status of three outstanding arrest warrants against former 1MDB general counsel Jasmine Loo Ai Swan. He highlighted the defense’s efforts to locate Ng, who was repatriated to Malaysia after his conviction in the United States related to the 1MDB scandal, following IGP’s statements about Ng being in police custody.
Wan Azwan Aiman emphasized the importance of examining IGP’s public statements in court, considering the significant public interest in investigations concerning Jasmine Loo and Roger Ng. The trial revealed that both Ng and Loo played key roles in assisting fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, also known as Jho Low, in diverting substantial funds from the sovereign wealth fund.
In October 2023, Razarudin announced that Roger Ng had returned to Malaysia to assist in the ongoing 1MDB investigation. Ng and Loo had left the country following the fall of the Barisan Nasional government after the 2018 General Election.
Justice Sequerah urged all parties to avoid further delays, stressing that the trial has reached its seventh year. He expressed concern over the timeline for completion, stating, ‘My priority is to see this trial concluded, and I was informed that it could be wrapped up by July.’ He criticized the inefficiency, adding, ‘You cannot hold the court ransom until these individuals are located and agree to testify. All parties must assist me in bringing this matter to a conclusion.’
Wan Azwan Aiman responded that the defense was diligently working to overcome obstacles in accessing potential witnesses, noting that some were overseas and awaited responses from government agencies. On October 30 last year, Justice Sequerah ordered Najib to enter his defense after ruling that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against him. Najib, aged 71, faces 25 charges, including four counts of abusing his position to accept RM2.3 billion in bribes from 1MDB funds and 21 charges of money laundering involving the same amount. The hearing is set to resume tomorrow.