Najib gets May 20 deadline to apply for appointment of Queen's Counsel

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has given Datuk Seri Najib Razak until May 20 to file his application to appoint a Queen's Counsel (QC) for his appeal in the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul said the deadline was fixed by deputy registrar Siti Hajar Mustaffa during online case management here on Friday (Jan 28).

"The hearing for the (QC) admission application is tentatively fixed on a date between June 20 and 24," DPP Mohd Ashrof said when contacted.

On Jan 25, law firm Messrs Shafee & Co, representing Najib, had written a six-page letter to the Chief Justice regarding its intention to appoint a QC from the United Kingdom to assist the former premier in complex issues and legal questions in his SRC International appeal at the Federal Court.

The QC’s appointment will be on an ad hoc basis after obtaining admission from the Malaysian court.

The apex court also fixed Feb 25 for case management in the main appeal filed by Najib, who is appealing against his conviction and sentence in the RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

The actual hearing date for the appeal would be fixed at the next case management date, said DPP Mohd Ashrof.

At the same time, the court also fixed March 15 and 16 for the hearing of Najib's application to adduce fresh evidence in the appeal.

On Dec 1, Najib filed an application seeking for the Court of Appeal to allow and direct for the viva voce evidence (oral evidence) of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Tan Sri Azam Baki, among others, to be taken for the purpose of his SRC International appeal at the appellate court.

This was dismissed on Dec 7, and Najib is appealing against the dismissal.

"The appeal records should be ready by the second week of February. Parties are to file submissions on Feb 28. Any reply (to the submissions) is to be done orally before the panel of judges," DPP Mohd Ashrof said.

He and ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram appeared for the prosecution during the proceedings while Najib was represented by Syahirah Hanapiah.

On July 28, 2020, High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali sentenced Najib to a total of 12 years' jail and a fine of RM210mil after finding him guilty of all seven charges relating to the misappropriation of RM42mil from the company's funds.

On Dec 8, the Court of Appeal affirmed the High Court’s conviction and sentence against Najib in the SRC International case.