PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s RM42mil SRC International Sdn Bhd corruption case will go on as scheduled on Aug 15.
The Federal Court here has denied an application by Najib to postpone the hearing dates after the Pekan MP decided to change his line-up of defence lawyers.
In a letter signed by Federal Court deputy registrar Wan Fatimah Zaharah Wan Yussof, the court said parties must take necessary actions and prepare for the hearing of the appeal, which would be heard for 10 days from Aug 15-19 and Aug 22-26.
“The court would like to emphasise that no postponements will be allowed,” said Wan Fatimah.
On July 25, Najib discharged Messrs Shafee & Co and took on Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners (ZIST) to represent him in his final appeal at the apex court.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul said ZIST had written a formal letter dated July 26 asking for the adjournment of the main appeal, as well as to adduce fresh evidence regarding Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali (now a Court of Appeal judge) who presided over the case at the High Court.
“ZIST will also be making the same application to adjourn both matters in open court before the Federal Court on Aug 15,” he said yesterday.
Case management was conducted online yesterday and attended by Mohd Ashrof and lead prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram for the prosecution.
Also in the proceedings were Najib’s new counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Liew Teck Huat and Rueben Mathiavaranam.
Najib’s previous lawyers, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Rahmat Hazlan, also attended for matters regarding the handing over of documents from Shafee & Co to ZIST.
The court fixed a final case management via Zoom at 3pm on Aug 8.
On July 28, 2020, Justice Mohd Nazlan convicted and sentenced Najib on seven charges involving criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position, involving SRC funds totalling RM42mil.
He was sentenced to 12 years’ jail and a fine of RM210mil.
The conviction and sentence were upheld by the Court of Appeal.
