Alleged ‘MACC letter on judge Nazlan’ gets online airing

 

Najib Razak’s daughter Nooryana was among those who posted copies of a letter purportedly from MACC about the trial judge in Najib’s corruption case.

PETALING JAYA: Days after a Federal Court decision against Najib Razak, images of a purported letter from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, about alleged wrongdoing by the trial judge, Nazlan Ghazali, have been making the rounds on social media.

Among those who posted the images was Najib’s daughter Nooryana. In an Instagram post, she simply said: “Berani kerana benar (Brave with the truth).”

FMT has reached out to MACC and its chief commissioner Azam Baki to confirm the authenticity of the letter.

The alleged letter, from Azam to Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, was dated Feb 20. It stated that MACC’s investigations had found “issues of wrongdoing” by Nazlan that the chief justice “needs to consider”.

The letter said the alleged offences under the Judges’ Code of Ethics took place when Nazlan, then on the High Court, presided over Najib’s trial on charges of corruption involving funds belonging to SRC International.

It included “the facts of investigations conducted by the commission” as an attachment.

Last September, Azam said the investigation into Nazlan’s alleged breach of the Judges’ Code of Ethics had been completed, but further details could not be divulged.

In February, a seven-member Federal Court panel led by Tengku Maimun accused MACC of not following protocol in conducting its investigation into Nazlan.

The investigation had arisen after allegations were made regarding unexplained sums of money in his bank account which were allegedly linked to 1MDB, the government investment fund that was at the centre of a financial scandal involving billions of ringgit.

Tengku Maimun said investigative agencies like MACC must consult the chief justice before even initiating a probe against a superior court judge.

Nazlan, now a judge on the Court of Appeal, had convicted Najib in July 2020 on charges of abuse of power, money laundering and criminal breach of trust over RM42 million in funds belonging to SRC International.

He sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million. Najib’s appeal to the Court of Appeal was later dismissed, and the Federal Court later upheld the conviction and sentence. Najib began serving his 12-year prison term on Aug 23 last year immediately after the Federal Court decision.

On Friday, a separate Federal Court bench dismissed Najib’s application for a review of his conviction and sentence. As a result, Najib will be required to serve the remainder of his prison term, unless he secures a royal pardon. - FMT