Date set for Shafee’s bid to remove affidavit by ex-AG’s staff over Anwar’s suit

 

The affidavit states that Shafee Abdullah had banked in two cheques that he received from former PM, Najib Razak.

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court will hear on Jan 21 a leave application by lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah to expunge an explosive affidavit made by a former special task force officer in the Attorney-General’s Chambers last year.

Siti Rahayu Mohd Mumazaini, who served under Tommy Thomas, filed the affidavit to support Anwar Ibrahim’s appeal (now in the Court of Appeal) to revive his suit made against the government in 2017.

The High Court struck out Anwar’s originating summons on grounds that the case did not have any cause of action and was an abuse of the court process. The PKR president filed the action, claiming he had not received a fair trial in the appeal against his sodomy conviction.

Anwar claimed Shafee had received RM9.5 million from former prime minister Najib Razak to lead the prosecution team in the Court of Appeal and Federal Court beginning in 2013.

Siti Rahayu’s affidavit showed that two cheques were received from Najib and deposited into Shafee’s CIMB bank account on Sept 13, 2013 and Feb 17, 2014.

Lawyer J Leela, who represented Anwar, said today the Jan 21 date was fixed following case management before deputy registrar Rasidah Roslee.

Counsel Sarah Abishegam represented Shafee while federal counsel Sallehudin Md Ali appeared for the government.

FMT understands a hearing date in the Federal Court could not be fixed earlier as Shafee was waiting for the written judgment from the Court of Appeal, which was only made available last week.

In November 2018, the Court of Appeal dismissed Shafee’s application to expunge Siti Rahayu’s affidavit and to cross-examine her. However, the appellate court allowed Shafee to be made a party in Anwar’s appeal. - FMT