Pejuang info chief defends AG over Najib court order

 The lawyer says the court, not the attorney-general, is responsible for preparing documents regarding the release of prisoners.

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali said the High Court’s criminal registry, which handles paperwork for criminal cases, should explain the mistakes in the order.

PETALING JAYA:

Pejuang information chief Rafique Rashid Ali has defended Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar over alleged mistakes in a court order concerning Najib Razak’s house arrest, saying the AG should not be blamed for a document prepared by the court.

Rafique, a lawyer by profession, said those questioning the errors should ask the Kuala Lumpur High Court for an explanation, rather than point fingers at Dusuki or the lawyers involved in the case.

The controversy centres on a court order issued after Najib paid a RM50 million fine on Nov 6.

The document purportedly called for his immediate release but also said he was to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in the SRC International case under house arrest until Aug 23, 2028, following the payment of his RM50 million fine.

Rafique said there appeared to be confusion over who was responsible for preparing such documents.

“In criminal cases, neither the defence lawyers nor the AG are involved. The court prepares the documents,” he said in a statement.

He said court officials were responsible for preparing documents involving the detention or release of prisoners, payment of fines and return of passports.

He said the High Court’s criminal registry, which handles paperwork for criminal cases, should therefore explain the mistakes in the order.

Rafique said this was different from civil cases, where lawyers for the winning party usually prepare the court order and send it to the opposing side for approval before submitting it to the court.

He also criticised lawyers and former government legal officers who had questioned the wording of Najib’s order, saying some appeared unfamiliar with how criminal courts worked.

“I respect your views, but there must be an understanding of court procedures before commenting,” he said.

Earlier today, Dusuki described the errors in the order as obvious, saying they should have been spotted if the document had been properly checked.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) has since sought to delay Najib’s transfer to house arrest while questions are resolved over his SRC prison sentence and how it affects the separate 15-year jail term he received in the 1MDB case.

Rafique previously criticised the AGC’s handling of Najib’s case, questioning why it waited until Najib had paid the fine before raising concerns over how his house arrest should be carried out. - FMT