KUALA LUMPUR: The conditional pardon received by Datuk Seri Najib Razak in his SRC International Sdn Bhd case has prompted his defence team to apply for a stay of execution on his sentence in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) case.
Najib’s lawyer, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, told the media that the defence deliberately did not apply for a stay after the sentence – a 15-year jail term and RM11.38bil fine – was meted out by the High Court on Dec 26 last year.
“We did not apply for a stay then because he was serving the jail sentence in the SRC International case,” he said at a press conference outside the court complex yesterday.
Last week, Najib was granted a conditional pardon from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, allowing him to serve the remainder of his SRC International prison sentence under house arrest if he paid the RM50mil fine imposed on him.
Muhammad Shafee said if Najib managed to pay the fine in the SRC case, he would still be subjected to the prison time in the 1MDB case.
The 1MDB trial judge, Justice Collin Lawrence Sequerah (now a Federal Court judge), had then ordered for the prison time to run after Najib completed his sentence in the RM42mil SRC International case.
Muhammad Shafee also said Najib had yet to receive an official letter relating to the conditional pardon despite its announcement.
Earlier, High Court judge Justice Noor Ruwena Md Nordin fixed Oct 14 to hear the stay application.
Muhammad Shafee told the judge during case management that the defence had filed a certificate of urgency in the matter.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam told the court that the prosecution wished to respond to the application.
Justice Noor Ruwena told the parties to submit their submissions, if they wish to do so, before Oct 13.
On Dec 26 last year, the High Court convicted Najib of all 25 charges in the 1MDB trial.
He was found guilty of using his position to obtain RM2.28bil gratification from 1MDB’s funds and 21 counts of money laundering involving the same amount.
Najib, who wore a light grey suit, appeared in court yesterday for the first time since being granted the conditional pardon.
His wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, and daughter, Nooryana Najwa, were seen at the court complex.
