RM42mil mere ‘peanuts' for Najib, court heard

PUTRAJAYA (Bernama): The RM42mil of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds utilised by Datuk Seri Najib Razak were mere peanuts for him, the Court of Appeal was told on Wednesday (April 14).

Ad-hoc prosecutor Datuk V Sithambaram submitted this before a three-member bench led by Judge Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil in the hearing of Najib’s appeal against his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42mil in SRC International funds.

The other two judges on the bench were Has Zanah Mehat and Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera.

Sithambaram said the RM42mil was like “peanuts" for the former premier as he had earlier taken a RM2.6bil donation.

"In this case, Najib had full control over the company (SRC) and whenever he needed money, he took it. My Lord, earlier, he had taken RM2.6bil, this is just a ‘kacang’ (peanut) for him, ” said Sithambaram with a sharp voice.

Last year, Najib testified at the Kuala Lumpur High Court that he received RM2.6bil donation from the Saudi royal family, between 2011 and 2014.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court had on July 28 last year sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and a RM210mil fine after finding him guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position, involving RM42mil in SRC International funds.

The hearing of the appeal continues. - Bernama