PUTRAJAYA: Najib Razak’s lawyers told the High Court today they have been unable to locate a former lawyer to testify for the defence at his 1MDB trial.
Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin told Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah several attempts have been made since last month to contact Brian Chia and secure his testimony.
Chia authored a legal opinion to justify the transfer of US$700 million from 1MDB’s funds to Good Star Limited, a firm controlled by fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho, or Jho Low.
“We asked MACC and the deputy public prosecutors to help locate him but they could not get hold of him either,” Wan Azwan said.
In response, DPP Kamal Baharin Omar said the authorities will do their best to locate Chia.
“If we are (still) unable to locate him, we will tender his witness statement,” he said.
Wan Azwan said the defence will call MACC investigating officer Nasharudin Amir to testify on Friday.
Najib is standing trial on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering of alleged 1MDB funds of RM2.28 billion deposited into his AmBank accounts between February 2011 and December 2014.
The hearing continues tomorrow.
