Najib's money laundering charges transferred to High Court

Former premier Najib Abdul Razak's three charges of money laundering involving RM47 million from SRC International Sdn Bhd has been transferred to the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

High Court judge Justice Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali today allowed attorney-general Tommy Thomas' request to transfer the case from the Sessions Court under Section 417(1)(e) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

"A transfer is expedient for the ends of justice because the cases share interrelated facts, and it would not be in the interest of justice to have separate proceedings in two separate courts of different hierarchies in those circumstances," he said.

Nazlan refused, however, Thomas' request for a joint trial with the other SRC International-related charges faced by Najib – the first hearing of which is scheduled for tomorrow.

The defence, led by Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Havinderjit Singh, had objected to the latter request, arguing that the court only had jurisdiction to allow a transfer, and not a joint trial.

In his ruling, Nazlan agreed that he is only allowed to transfer the case under  Section 417(2) of the CPC.

"On the application for a joint trial, it would be premature for this court to make a decision, as it would be up to the trial judge," he added.

Although the case has been transferred with Nazlan's ruling, the prosecution will still have to register the case before the High Court to see where the three money laundering charges will be heard.

On Friday, Najib was charged again with three counts of money laundering in relation to RM47 million which he received in his personal Ambank account on July 8, 2014.

The prosecution had withdrawn the three charges the previous day after the AG's application for discharge not amounting to an acquittal.

He claimed trial to the three charges.

Tomorrow is fixed for Najib's seven counts of abuse of power and criminal breach of trust charges in relation to SRC International, unless the Court of Appeal grants the defence a stay on the proceedings later today.

The defence also made an application for the prosecution to furnish the order of witnesses to be called tomorrow, should the trial proceed.

All in all, Najib is facing 42 charges since he was first brought to court on July 4 last year.

 -Mkini