Court of Appeal verdict exonerates trial judge in Najib’s RM42m SRC case - DPP

 

The Court of Appeal’s dismissal of Najib Abdul Razak’s appeal today has exonerated the trial judge who convicted and sentenced the former prime minister in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case, a deputy public prosecutor (DPP) said.

V Sithambaram, who leads the prosecution in today’s matter, said the decision by the three-person Court of Appeal bench showed that High Court judge Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali's decision was in accordance with the law and not any other impugned motives.

The prosecutor said this is important in light of various attacks against the credibility of the trial judge by certain quarters in regards to the guilty verdict against Najib.

“There was an attack on the judge’s findings or his credibility during the appeal.

“Today’s finding completely exonerates him (Nazlan) of any wrongdoing in the way he dealt with evidence and the way he arrived at the decision and the sentence he passed.

“There was nothing wrong with what he has done in his judgement.

“We are happy that the view that the prosecution took has been proven to be correct and there was no extraneous considerations or other motives in our prosecution, as attributed (by certain quarters) to earlier that we are willfully suppressing evidence of that sort.

“So the Court (of Appeal) has found nothing of that sort,” Sithambaram said.

Press conference at Palace of Justice, Putrajaya, after Court of Appeal dismisses Najib's appeal

He added that the prosecution carried out its duty in accordance with the law without being concerned about any change to the government of the day.

“The Court (of Appeal) found in essence that the decision or findings made by the trial judge is not erroneous and accords with the law and facts that were established by the prosecution before him. They found absolutely nothing wrong in the High Court decision,” the DPP said.

Sithambaram was speaking during a press conference to the media at the Palace of Justice today, following the Court of Appeal dismissal of Najib’s appeal.

The former premier was appealing against the Kuala Lumpur High Court verdict on July 28 last year.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak

The court then found him guilty on one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), and three counts of money laundering involving RM42 million of funds from SRC International.

Trial judge Nazlan had also meted out a 12-year jail term and a RM210 million fine against Najib. However, there is a stay of execution on the sentences pending disposal of the former premier’s appeal to the Federal Court.

Previously a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC International later became wholly-owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc).

Besides being a former premier, Najib also used to be finance minister, SRC International’s advisor emeritus, and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisors. - Mkini