KUALA LUMPUR: Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is seeking an early trial date in his graft case involving RM27mil in SRC International Sdn Bhd funds.
Najib's lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told High Court judge Justice K. Muniandy on Monday (May 29) that he did not object to the prosecution's request for another mention date but the defence wanted the trial to begin as soon as possible as the case "has been long standing".
"If the court intends to set a mention or case management date in August, I kindly request that the trial date be arranged as soon as possible," Muhammad Shafee said.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told the court that he was instructed by the Attorney General to ask for another mention date in August pending the disposal of British lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw’s appeal to represent Najib in the already-concluded RM42mil SRC International corruption case.
The Federal Court has fixed Aug 10 to hear Laidlaw’s appeal.
Justice Muniandy then fixed the case for mention on Aug 18.
On Feb 3, 2019, Najib claimed trial to three other charges of money laundering by accepting proceeds from illegal activities amounting to RM27mil through his three AmPrivate Banking accounts.
He allegedly committed all the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, AmBank Group Building, No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan on July 8, 2014, under Section 4 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001.
He faces a maximum fine of RM5mil or imprisonment of up to five years, or both, if convicted.
Najib is currently serving a 12-year jail sentence in Kajang Prison after the Federal Court had, on Aug 23, upheld the conviction and jail term and a fine of RM210mil against him after finding him guilty of misappropriating SRC International Sdn Bhd funds amounting to RM42mil.
