The trial of two prominent businessman accused of fraud over a £1 billion (€1.2 billion) loan deal will begin hearing evidence next week.
Frank Cushnahan (83), of Alexandra Gate in Holywood, Co Down, and Ian Coulter (54), of Templepatrick Road in Ballyclare, Co Antrim, deny all charges against them.
At Belfast Crown Court on Wednesday, the charges were read to the defendants in front of the jury.
The judge, Madam Justice Denise McBride, told the 12 jurors that they will hear the prosecution’s opening arguments next Monday.
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The case is expected to last up to 12 weeks.
The charges against the men relate to the sale of a loan book held by the National Asset Management Agency (Nama), which was set up by the Irish government to deal with toxic property loans after the banking crisis in 2008.
Mr Cushnahan, a business consultant and former member of Nama’s Northern Ireland advisory committee, is charged with fraud for allegedly failing to disclose information to Nama between April 1st and November 7th, 2013.
Mr Coulter, a solicitor, is charged with made a false representation to a law firm on or around August 13th, 2014, namely a £9 million invoice. He also faces two counts of concealing or transferring criminal property on various dates in 2014.
A further fraud charge relates to Mr Coulter dishonestly making a false representation to a law firm on or around September 11th, 2014, by causing an invoice of £7.2 million to be issued.
Both men are accused of making a false representation to Nama and a law firm in April 2014, with the intention of “making a gain for themselves or another”.
Mr Cushnahan applied for reporting restrictions to be imposed during the trial but his bid was refused by a judge three months ago, who said there was “substantial public interest” in the trial.
His co-accused did not seek to have reporting restrictions applied.
On Wednesday, Madam Justice McBride outlined a series of ground rules to jurors and said it is wrong for them to receive information from other sources during the trial, whether “that’s speaking to someone or engaging in research, for example, the internet, or elsewhere”.
“Don’t come to a decision until you’ve heard all the evidence, you’ve heard the closing speeches from both the prosecution and the defence, and you’ve heard me giving direction on the law,” she added.
“So don’t jump to conclusions before that.”
The judge told the jury that they should take “no account” of any media reports on the case.
“You decide the case on the evidence you hear in this court.”
She cited “housekeeping matters” as the reason for putting the prosecution’s case back until Monday.
