March 15 hearing of Najib’s appeal to adduce fresh evidence in SRC case

The Federal Court has fixed two days from March 15 to hear Najib Abdul Razak’s appeal to adduce fresh evidence in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

The apex court registry today has also yet to fix a hearing date of the former prime minister’s main appeal to quash his conviction for one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT), and three counts of money laundering involving RM42 million of SRC’s funds.

Previously, it was reported that Najib was mulling whether to apply for the Federal Court to first hear the fresh evidence appeal, as the outcome from the appeal may have critical bearing on the main SRC appeal.

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul today confirmed the fresh evidence appeal hearing dates of March 15 and 16, as set by the Federal Court during case management today.

“For the Federal Court SRC case management today, the hearing dates are fixed for appeal on additional evidence which will be on 15 and 16 March 2022,” the DPP told the media today.

Ashrof said that the Federal Court has not fixed a hearing date as Najib’s legal team would be writing to the apex court tomorrow regarding their intention to apply for a Queen's Counsel from the United Kingdom to argue on behalf of Najib in the main SRC appeal.

The DPP added that the apex court has fixed this coming Friday (Jan 28) for further case management.

Najib at present has two appeals before the Federal Court, namely one is to quash his conviction as well as a 12-year jail sentence and RM210 million fine in the main SRC corruption case, and the other is over his bid to adduce fresh evidence in the main appeal.

On Dec 7 last year, the Court of Appeal dismissed his application to adduce fresh evidence in his appeal against the RM42 million SRC graft case.

The next day (Dec 8), the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal to overturn the guilty verdict and sentencing in the SRC case.

Previously a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC later became fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated.

Besides being former prime minister, Najib also used to be finance minister, SRC’s adviser emeritus, and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers. - Mkini