‘Facts speak for themselves’

PUTRAJAYA: It’s only cold hard facts and not politics involved in the case against Datuk Seri Najib Razak who was found guilty of misappropriating RM42mil from SRC International Sdn Bhd, says the prosecution.

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Ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram said prosecutors were guided by the investigation papers and facts in the case against the Pekan MP.

“As prosecutors, we have the IP (investigation papers). There is no politics there. These are facts... cold, hard facts.

“We have to interpret those facts and we presented them to the court,” he told a press conference after proceedings ended yesterday.

Sithambaram said at the appellate stage, the SRC case has gone through two courts, with hundreds of pages of judgment written.

In yesterday’s decision on Najib’s appeal, Justice Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil delivered a 54-page summary judgment via Zoom in a hybrid proceeding.

Sithambaram said the full grounds of judgment by the appellate court stood at 316 pages.

Trial judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who convicted and sentenced Najib at the High Court, had written 801 pages in his full grounds of judgment which was dated Aug 21 last year.

“What was read (by Justice Abdul Karim) was just a summary. A synopsis.

“Four judges (one from the High Court and three from the Court of Appeal), so far, had looked at the case and found the evidence presented against Najib is justified to show the commission of the offences with which he’s charged and the sentence that was passed.

“So I think the facts speak for themselves,” said Sithambaram.

When asked if the appeal was taxing on the prosecution team, Sithambaram said the hearing at the High Court was more exhausting.

“It was a continuing trial. Sometimes, we had very little time. It was stressful. Many of us didn’t sleep many nights. Some resorted to sleeping pills.

“It is exhausting but as lawyers, it is fulfilling to do your job to the best of your ability,” he added.

The appeal hearing concluded on May 19 after 15 days, which has been described as “exceptionally long” by Justice Abdul Karim.