Riza Aziz likely to be prosecution witness in 1MDB trial, says Sri Ram

(Yahoo News) – The High Court here was told that film producer Riza Shahriz Abdul Aziz is a possible witness for the prosecution in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) trial involving his stepfather, former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

Lead prosecutor Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram said this before High Court judge Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah as the high-profile trial resumed here on Tuesday (May 19).

“We may have to revise our list of witnesses because Riza has indicated his readiness to give evidence for the prosecution in the case, ” said the former federal court judge.

Najib, 67, is facing four charges of abusing his position to obtain gratification totalling RM2.28bil in 1MDB funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same money.

On May 14, Riza was granted a discharge not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) by a Sessions Court here over five counts of money laundering charges involving US$248mil (RM1.25bil) following an agreement struck between the prosecution and his defence team.

The decision to discharge him created a media storm as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), former attorney general Tan Sri Tommy Thomas and Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun traded statements after one another as the public weighed in on the case.

At a separate High Court today, the court has allowed an application by the MACC to forfeit over RM600,000 linked to the 1MDB funds from Riza.

The court’s ruling essentially allowed the government to forfeit RM537,000, £2,700 and 2.87mil Sri Lanka rupees that were seized on May 17,2018.

This is in relation to a RM31mil 1MDB forfeiture suit filed by the Government last year against Riza and 17 other defendants, including Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor.

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Faten Hadni Khairuddin informed Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan that Riza had agreed to the forfeiture following his DNAA.