[UPDATED] Najib arrives at Federal Court for SRC conviction review

PUTRAJAYA – Jailed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has arrived at the Federal Court here for the hearing of his review application of his conviction and sentence in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case.

This is Najib’s last attempt to undo his conviction, as he has already exhausted his appeal at the Federal Court in August.

Najib arrived at 8.54am in a convoy to cheers from supporters when the vehicle believed to be carrying him approached.

Supporters had arrived earlier and carried posters bearing Najib’s image with the words “Solidariti untuk Bossku” (solidarity with Bossku), in reference to Najib’s nickname.

At 9.25am, Najib entered the courtroom and sat in the public gallery first with his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor while being flanked by several prison department officers.

The court began the hearing at 9.42am.

Najib has arrived via prison convoy.
Supporters chanted “bossku” as they drove past the entrance. pic.twitter.com/AMfCFvfVBs

— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) January 19, 2023

Najib, 69, is seeking a review of the Federal Court’s decision made in August to dismiss his bid to adduce further evidence relating to Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, the trial judge in his SRC International case involving the misappropriation of RM42 million.

Nazlan had found Najib guilty on seven charges on July 28, 2020, and had sentenced him to 12 years of jail, and a fine of RM210 million.

On August 23, the Federal Court panel, led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, upheld Nazlan’s judgement, and Najib began his incarceration at Kajang Prison the same day.

Najib’s application for review was filed through Messrs Shafee & Co on September 6 last year.

Besides wanting a review of the dismissal to adduce further evidence against judge Nazlan, Najib also wants the judge, who has since been elevated to the Court of Appeal, to be recused and his entire SRC International trial nullified.

Najib is alleging that Nazlan had a conflict of interest with his case due to the judge’s prior role as general counsel of Maybank, which had been involved with matters pertaining to SRC International.

The former prime minister also wants his appeal to be re-heard by a different Federal Court panel of at least seven judges, besides asking for Tengku Maimun’s recusal over an alleged conflict of interest due her husband’s previous Facebook posts in 2018 against him.

Najib also wants a stay of execution of his jail sentence, pending the re-hearing.

According to a court document on the names of all parties in attendance at the review hearing today, the new panel of Federal Court judges are Sabah and Sarawak chief judge Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli, Datuk Vernon Ong Lam Kiat, Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, Datuk Nordin Hassan, and Datuk Abu Bakar Jais.

The panel led by Tengku Maimun last August had comprised then Sabah and Sarawak chief judge Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judges Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan, Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan, and Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah.

Representing Najib at the hearing today will be an eight-member team lead by defence lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah.

The prosecution meanwhile comprises Datuk V. Sithambaram, Donald Joseph Franklin, Sulaiman Kho Kheng Fuei, Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul, and Manjira Vasudevan. 

The Bar is also holding a watching brief. – The Vibes, January 19, 2023