ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – The 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) trial of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak has been postponed to Thursday following the death of lead prosecutor Gopal Sri Ram.
Yesterday was set for a continued hearing where prosecution witness Joanna Yu, who was Najib’s former relationship manager at AmBank, was supposed to take the stand.
But Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib asked High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah for the proceedings to be adjourned in the light of Sri Ram’s sudden demise.
He said Sri Ram’s wake and cremation ceremony would be held today.
“All of us in the prosecution team are seeking your permission to vacate the matter today and tomorrow to allow us to attend both functions.
“He was our boss, our team leader and he was like a father to all of us,” said the distraught prosecutor yesterday.
“We (also) humbly seek your lordship’s indulgence for an adjournment on the basis that the prosecution team would have to discuss the purpose of redistribution of the various focus of works vis-a-vis the witnesses,” Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Akram said.
Najib’s lead counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the court the defence had no objection to the adjournment.
“I would absolutely have no objection whatsoever,” he said.
Justice Sequerah then allowed the adjournment.
