Case management of Najib’s bid to review SRC conviction set for Oct 21
KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s review application over his SRC International Sdn Bhd conviction is up for its first case management on Oct 21.
DPP Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul told this to High Court judge Justice Mohamed Zaini Mazlan during a case mention of another SRC International matter here on Wednesday (Sept 28).
The proceeding before Justice Mohamed Zaini was in relation to the three money laundering charges faced by Najib, linked to RM27mil in SRC International funds.
The case was put on hold to give way to the RM42mil SRC case which concluded at the Federal Court on Aug 23.
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DPP Mohd Ashrof said the prosecution sought another mention date in the RM27mil SRC case pending disposal of the review on the RM42mil SRC matter.
Najib’s lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah confirmed the upcoming case management date for the review application.
He said the defence has no objection for the court to push the hearing for the RM27mil SRC case in the meantime.
“I have no objection because it has nexus to the first case (involving the RM42mil). It is only logical.
“I presume by November they (the apex court) should hear us (for the review),” he said.
Justice Mohamed Zaini: You will be conducting the review?
Muhammad Shafee: I am. I’m back on board after some hustle, but I’m back.
Justice Mohamed Zaini then quipped “Should have never left,” to the laughter of the courtroom.
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In July, just a few weeks short of the hearing of the RM42mil SRC case at the Federal Court, Shafee’s law firm Messrs Shafee & Co was discharged by Najib from representing him in the final appeal.
It was replaced by Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suflan TH Liew & Partners (Zist).
After hearing parties, Justice Mohamed Zaini fixed Nov 29 for mention in the RM27mil SRC case.
“If there is any extraordinary development, you can just write to the court and I will fix a date, earlier or later.
“For now I will just fix the end of November,” he said before adjourning the proceeding.
On Feb 3, 2019 Najib pleaded not guilty to the three charges of money laundering for allegedly receiving money totalling RM27mil, which are proceeds from unlawful activity, in three AmPrivate Banking accounts belonging to him.
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Najib is alleged to have committed the offences at AmIslamic Bank Berhad, Bangunan Ambank Group, No. 55, Jalan Raja Chulan, on July 8, 2014.
He is charged under Section 4(1)(a) of the Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001, which provides for a maximum fine of RM5mil or a jail term not exceeding five years, or both, upon conviction.
On Aug 23, the Federal Court upheld the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to convict Najib to 12 years’ jail and for him to pay a RM210mil fine in the RM42mil SRC case.
On Sept 6, he filed an application for a review on the Federal Court’s decision.
Najib is currently serving his sentence at Kajang Prison.