KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak has applied for a permanent stay in his criminal breach of trust trial with Tan Sri Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah involving RM66 billion of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) financial scandal.
Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah made the application at the outset of the proceeding before High Court judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin today.
A permanent stay of proceedings is more commonly associated with civil cases, but it can also be applied in criminal cases under specific circumstances.
Earlier, Datuk K. Kumaraendran who appeared for Irwan applied for discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) against his client.
Najib and Irwan were charged in October 2018 and had pleaded not guilty to six counts of CBT involving government funds used as payments to the International Petroleum Investment Company (IPIC).