PUTRAJAYA – Former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s appeal hearing against his conviction and jail sentence for misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International Sdn Bhd funds would not proceed on February 15.
One of his lawyers, Muhammad Farhan Muhammad Shafee, in a text message, said the hearing of the appeal initially fixed on February 15 has been vacated.
The appeal was fixed for case management today before Court of Appeal’s deputy registrars Darmafikri Abu Adam and N. Kanageswari.
However, the case management would continue tomorrow to fix new hearing dates and filing of submissions, according to sources.
Bernama was made to understand that the appeal hearing would not go on on February 15 due to the extension of the movement control order (MCO) as well as amendments to the notes of proceedings.
Najib’s lawyers Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and Nur Syahirah Hanapiah attended the case management proceedings while deputy public prosecutor Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul appeared for the prosecution.
On October 1, 2020, the court had fixed 12 days from February 15 to 18, 22 to 25, and March 1 to 4 for the hearing of the appeal.
The Pekan MP has submitted 307 grounds in his petition of appeal on why he should be freed of the charges.
The Kuala Lumpur High Court had, on July 28 last year, sentenced Najib to 12 years’ jail and fined him RM210 million after finding him guilty on seven charges of criminal breach of trust, money laundering and abuse of position involving RM42 million of SRC funds.
He is currently out on bail of RM2 million in two sureties pending appeal. – Bernama, February 2, 2021
