AmBank ex-banker Joanna Yu to testify in Najib’s 1MDB trial tomorrow; Singapore witness next week
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 6 — Former AmBank banker Joanna Yu is set to return to the witness stand tomorrow in Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s trial over the misappropriation of RM2.28 billion of 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) funds.
Yu, who was the relationship manager at AmBank handling Najib’s personal bank accounts, is the 41st prosecution witness in this trial.
Yu had first testified in this trial on October 13 and November 7 by answering questions from the prosecution, and had been waiting to be called again to be cross-examined by Najib’s legal team.
Due to scheduling reasons, other prosecution witnesses had testified while waiting for Yu’s cross-examination, namely 42nd witness and former Treasury secretary-general Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah and financial publication The Edge owner Tan Sri Tong Kooi Ong who testified as the 43rd witness.
Today, Najib’s lead defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said he expects to take “about a week” to cross-examine Yu.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Akram Gharib said the prosecution may call Irwan Serigar to the witness stand again immediately after Najib’s lawyers are done with their cross-examination of Yu.
Irwan Serigar is expected to be called back as a witness to resume his testimony, after the High Court decides whether or not the prosecution is allowed to play an audio clip featuring Najib’s voice for Irwan Serigar to identify and whether that audio clip can be used as evidence in this 1MDB trial.
Akram also noted: “In fact, next week, we have witness from Singapore, together with Joanna Yu, to be on the stand.” This is likely in reference to the Singapore-based former BSI Bank banker Kevin Michael Swampillai.
Najib’s 1MDB trial before High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah is scheduled to resume tomorrow afternoon with Yu on the witness stand.
The prosecution had on November 24 said the remaining prosecution witnesses for the 1MDB trial are Yu for her cross-examination, and those yet to be called to testify include former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz, Swampillai, Omar Mustapha and two investigating officers.
The 1MDB trial is scheduled to go on until this Thursday, next Monday to next Thursday, and also has trial dates scheduled next January and next February.
