Malaysia 1MDB scandal: Blow for Najib as court allows co-accused Arul Kanda to testify against him in trial

The former 1MDB boss will appear as a prosecution witness in the audit tampering trial involving the disgraced leader

Calling the ruling prejudicial against him, Najib also sought the expertise of a Queen’s Counsel as he appeals against a 12-year sentence issued in 2020

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Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for the 1MDB trial on June 7. Photo: Bernama/dpa

Published: 7:40pm, 24 Jun 2022

A Malaysian court on Friday made an unprecedented decision to allow the prosecution to call as witness the co-accused in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) audit tampering trial involving former prime minister Najib Razak.

Arul Kanda Kandasamy, the scandal-tainted fund’s last chief executive before the fall of Najib’s Barisan Nasional administration in the 2018 elections, was originally charged along with the disgraced leader for tampering with 1MDB’s audit report ahead of its submission to a parliamentary select committee.

Najib called the move to let Arul Kanda testify against him prejudicial.

While the provision to call an accused to testify against another accused exists under Malaysia’s 2009 anti-corruption law, this is the first time that rule was used in a trial.

High Court judge Zaini Mazlan, who heard arguments from both sides on June 14, ruled that he was satisfied with the prosecution’s application and stressed that Arul Kanda must be truthful in his testimony.