A key witness in the 1MDB trial of former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak is missing, causing a delay in the proceedings. The defense team has been unable to locate Brian Chia, a former lawyer, who was initially listed as a prosecution witness.
A witness in former Malaysia n Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak 's 1 Malaysia Development Bhd ( 1MDB ) trial is missing, causing a disruption in the proceedings. Najib's lawyer, Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin, revealed that Brian Chia, a former partner at the law firm Wong & Partners, has been unreachable since January. Wan Azwan stated that they had made numerous attempts to contact Chia, but all efforts proved unsuccessful.
He also reached out to other lawyers within the legal profession, who were equally unaware of Chia's whereabouts. Based on their information, they believe Chia is currently outside the jurisdiction of the court. Chia was initially identified as a prosecution witness but was never called to testify. Presiding judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah inquired about the defense's next course of action if Chia remained unavailable. Wan Azwan asserted that it is the prosecution's responsibility to make every effort to secure Chia's presence for examination by the defense. Deputy Public Prosecutor Kamal Baharin Omar confirmed that Chia was indeed an offered witness by the prosecution. As the defense had no other witnesses to call for the day, Wan Azwan requested the court to adjourn proceedings until Friday morning (February 21).Najib was ordered by the High Court last October to enter his defense on four counts of using his position to obtain RM2.28 billion in gratification from 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
1MDB Najib Razak Missing Witness Trial Malaysia
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