Najib Abdul Razak is set to file his application to get a Queen’s Counsel from the United Kingdom (UK) to represent him in his appeal in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case by next month.
The former prime minister’s defence counsel Wan Aizuddin Wan Mohammed confirmed that they have informed the Federal Court during the mention of Najib’s appeal this afternoon.
The lawyer said they have undertaken to inform the apex court by April 18 on suitable dates for the QC’s attendance in the hearing of Najib’s appeal. No date has been set to hear the main appeal.
“Counsel (for Najib) has confirmed that the application for QC will be filed by the end of May at the High Court.
“If the application is not successful, then counsel will appeal to the Federal Court,” Wan Aizuddin said when contacted.
The lawyer said they informed the court that the SRC record of appeal has been served on both the defence team as well as the prosecution on March 31.
He said the court also gave the defence team until April 11 to apply for an extension to file the petition of appeal.
He added that the court has not fixed the next date for mention of the appeal, pending the defence team’s application for the time extension.
Besides Wan Aizuddin, lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, as well as lawyer Nur Syahirah Hanapiah, represented Najib today.
Deputy public prosecutors V Sithambaram and Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul appeared for the prosecution.
Seeking to quash conviction
It was previously reported that Najib was seeking to appoint a QC to act for him in the SRC appeal.
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.
Najib is seeking to quash a 2020 Kuala Lumpur High Court conviction, which imposed a 12-year jail term and RM210 million fine over one count of abuse of power, three counts of criminal breach of trust, 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.
Previously a subsidiary of 1MDB, SRC later became fully owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated (MoF Inc). The MoF Inc also owned 1MDB.
Besides being the then premier, Najib also used to be finance minister, SRC’s adviser emeritus, and chairperson of 1MDB’s board of advisers.
On March 16, the Federal Court rejected the Pekan MP’s bid to adduce fresh evidence to bolster his SRC appeal. - Mkini
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