PUTRAJAYA: The venue for the criminal trials involving former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic) remains unchanged, and will be heard in Kuala Lumpur.
Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim said the prosecution's request to move the trials to the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya had been denied.
"The courts here are not designed to hear trial cases. We have answered the request," she told the media after the swearing-in ceremony of nine new Federal Court and Court of Appeal judges here recently.
Zaharah said the Attorney General had been informed of the decision and was asked to relay the matter to others.
Last month, lead prosecutor Datuk Sulaiman Abdullah told High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali that the prosecution has written to Zaharah Ibrahim, requesting for the change of venue.
Among the reasons cited was the influx of documents and witnesses going to Putrajaya, better crowd control and easier access for the public.
All of Najib's cases are currently held at the Jalan Duta Court Complex.
On July 4, Najib was charged with money laundering and criminal breach of trust in the transfer of RM42mil into his account from SRC International.
On Aug 8, he was charged with three counts of money laundering related to the same transaction under the Anti-Money Laundering, Prevention of Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001.
He allegedly committed the offences between Dec 24 and 29, 2014.
The trial is fixed from Feb 18 next year.-Star
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