Federal Court has set Aug 10 to hear an appeal by King’s Counsel Jonathan Laidlaw to act for Najib Abdul Razak in the former prime minister’s RM42 million SRC International case.
This is despite the court on March 31 earlier this year having dismissed the former finance minister’s application to review a decision by a different bench of the Federal Court to uphold his conviction and 12-year jail sentence in the RM42 million SRC International corruption case.
When contacted, Najib’s counsel Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee confirmed the hearing date fixed during a May 18 case management of Laidlaw’s appeal.
Lawyer Anne Vendargon, who acted for the Malaysian Bar, added that the Aug 10 hearing is also for applications by the Bar as well as the Kuala Lumpur Bar and the Attorney-General's Chambers to strike out the appeal.
The counsel said among the reasons cited for the striking-out was that the entire appeal has been rendered academic by the Federal Court decision that upheld Najib's guilty verdict and sentencing.
On July 21 last year, the High Court (civil jurisdiction) in Kuala Lumpur denied an application by Laidlaw for temporary admission to the Bar so that he could represent Najib in the then-still ongoing SRC International case.
The British citizen had then appealed to the Federal Court (appeals involving admission to the Bar go straight to the Federal Court without going through the Court of Appeal).
On Oct 12 last year, while the review was still pending at the apex court, Najib’s lead defence counsel Muhammad Shafee Abdullah told the media that they still require Laidlaw’s expertise in fraud and corruption cases in the event Najib is allowed a retrial of the SRC case.
Former Pekan MP is currently serving his jail time at Kajang Prison.
In July 2020, the High Court (criminal jurisdiction) in Kuala Lumpur found Najib guilty of seven charges involving abuse of power, criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering linked to RM42 million of SRC’s International funds.
He was then sentenced to 12 years imprisonment as well as RM210 million fine in lieu of an additional five years in jail.
On Dec 8 2021, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction and sentencing. Federal Court, on Aug 23, last year also maintained the guilty verdict and sentencing.
Najib’s failed review bid had targeted the Aug 23 Federal Court verdict. - Mkini
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