KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 6): The defence in Datuk Seri Najib Razak's 1Malaysia Development Bhd-Tanore (1MDB-Tanore) trial is expected to continue with the cross-examination of the controversial fund's former chief executive officer (CEO) Hazem Abdul Rahman today. 

After a three-month break, the case resumed yesterday with senior counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah going over the prosecution witness' background in 1MDB.

Hazem told the court that he was appointed chief operating officer of the fund in August 2012 and was subsequently appointed CEO in March 2013.

He had first given his statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission sometime between May and June 2018.

Besides that, the lawyer also grilled Hazem over Article 117 in 1MDB's memorandum and articles of association, which states that critical matters need to be approved by the Prime Minister. 

When asked if Hazem ever witnessed Najib invoking Article 117 during his tenure at the fund, the witness said no, although he pointed out that the prime minister's approval was critical. 

Shafee also suggested to the witness that there is a conspiracy devised by several people including Hazem's predecessor Datuk Shahrol Azral Ibrahim Halmi, former 1MDB CFO Azmi Tahir, fugitive businessman Low Taek Jho and others, to which Hazem said he could not comment on the matter. 

The session yesterday ended 20 minutes ahead of schedule as the lawyer said he will be moving into a different area of questioning. 

Proceedings are slated to resume at 9.15am today. 

Najib, who has been convicted and sentenced to 12 years' jail and fined RM210 million in an earlier trial involving SRC International Sdn Bhd, is facing four counts of abuse of power for using his position as the prime minister, finance minister and 1MDB board of advisers chairman to receive gratification worth RM2.28 billion in the present 1MDB-Tanore trial.

On top of that, he also faces 21 counts of money laundering involving over RM4.3 billion.

The Edge is covering the trial live here.

Users of The Edge Markets app may tap here to access the live report.