Lawyers to update on Queen’s Counsel in Najib’s SRC appeal

 

Najib Abdul Razak’s legal team is set to update the apex court on when they would file an application to allow a Queen’s Counsel from the United Kingdom to represent him in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case appeal.

Deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul said the Federal Court today set April 8 for the next mention to allow the former prime minister’s lawyers to update it on the date the application would be made.

Previously, it was reported that Najib is seeking to appoint a Queen’s Counsel to act on his behalf in his appeal to quash his conviction in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.

The title of Queen’s Counsel is awarded by the Queen of the UK to those who have demonstrated particular skill and expertise in conducting advocacy in court.

“The Federal Court has fixed next case management (for Najib’s appeal) on April 8, 2022, for the (Najib’s) counsel to confirm the date of the application of Queen’s Counsel will be made,” Ashrof said.

The DPP told this to the media after online case management of Najib’s appeal by the Federal Court Registry at the Palace of Justice, Putrajaya this afternoon. DPP V Sithambaram also acted for the prosecution.

Najib (above) was represented by lawyers Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Harvinderjit Singh, and Nur Syahirah Hanapiah during the mention conducted remotely via Zoom today.

Najib is seeking to quash a 2020 Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling that convicted him, as well as imposed a 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine, over 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.

On Dec 8 last year, the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal to overturn the guilty verdict and sentencing in the SRC graft case.

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

Besides being the then prime minister, Najib was also the finance minister, SRC’s adviser emeritus, and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.

Hearing of appeal to adduce additional evidence vacated

Meanwhile, Ashrof this afternoon added that the Federal Court has vacated the previously-set hearing dates of March 15 and 16 for Najib’s appeal to adduce fresh evidence in the SRC appeal.

The DPP said the apex court took off the dates after the former premier’s lawyers wrote in to seek for the hearing dates to be vacated.

Ashrof explained that Najib's legal team sought the postponement as they are still seeking all notes, evidence, and documents from the High Court SRC trial, to prepare written submissions for the additional evidence appeal.

Previously, the Federal Court set March 15 and 16 to hear Najib’s appeal to bring in fresh evidence to bolster his main SRC appeal.

Najib’s appeal, in this case, is over the Court of Appeal’s decision on Dec 7 last year to dismiss his application to adduce fresh evidence for the SRC case. - Mkini