No man is above the law, says lead prosecutor

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court’s dismissal of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s application to review his conviction and sentence would bring final closure to the SRC International Sdn Bhd case, said the lead prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram.

He said the ruling was also a vindication that the charges against the former prime minister were legally mounted and not politically motivated.

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“There is always the question of how we feel as the prosecution.

“There is no joy for the successful prosecution (other) than ensuring that the rule of law has prevailed in this case.

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“To other politicians and likely offenders, this prosecution has shown that no man in this land is above the law.

“This successful prosecution must send a chilling message to all would-be offenders that the law will catch up with you and punish the guilty,” he said at a press conference at the Palace of Justice lobby.

Meanwhile, Najib’s counsel Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah said the dissenting judgment would open another avenue in the case.

However, he declined to confirm whether a second review application would be filed.

“This is not the end of the matter. There can be another court proceeding. As a result of the minority judgment, an avenue has opened.

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“There are cases where the review was not only done once. As long as there are grounds for a new review, it can be done,” he told Bernama at a press conference.

Muhammad Shafee said the minority judgment had given him a lot of encouragement.

He said that following their application to the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD), it was learnt that the process had started and there was a move to ask the Attorney General to respond.

“We will send a further document on the minority and majority judgments to UNWGAD so that it will be examined to find out which one looks more sound,” he added.