[UPDATED] Court rejects Queen’s Counsel’s bid to represent Najib in SRC appeal

KUALA LUMPUR – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak faced yet another blow in his bid to get UK lawyer and Queen’s Counsel (QC) Jonathan Laidlaw to represent him for the appeal in his SRC International case.

This after, the high court, here, rejected Laidlaw’s bid to be admitted before the courts for the final appeal, scheduled to be heard in the Federal Court for 10 days from August 15.

According to FMT, judge Datuk Ahmad Kamal Md Shahid ruled that Laidlaw, who is also a Queen’s Counsel (QC), did not satisfy the requirements for ad hoc admission under the Legal Profession Act.

In his judgement, Kamal also expressed his view that local advocates and solicitors were more than capable of handling such cases throughout all court tiers in the country.

“I concur with the honourable attorney-general, the learned deputy public prosecutor, KL Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar that the appeal is one that can quite competently be handled by local advocates and solicitors.

“As such, the originating motion in enclosure one is hereby dismissed,” he was quoted as saying while delivering his verdict.

Present during today’s proceedings were ad hoc prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram, who is leading the team prosecuting Najib in the SRC trial, as well as lawyer Rahmat Hazlan appearing for Laidlaw.

Meanwhile, lawyers Datuk Gurdial Singh Nijar and Datuk Bastian Vendargon appeared for the KL Bar Committee and the Malaysian Bar respectively.

The Federal Court is set to hear Najib’s final SRC appeal over a period of 10 days from August 15 to August 19, and from August 22 to August 26.

The Court of Appeal, last year, upheld the conviction and 12-year prison sentence as well as an RM210 million fine imposed against Najib for misappropriating RM42 million in SRC funds. – The Vibes, July 21, 2022