PUTRAJAYA – The Court of Appeal has fixed November 8 for a decision on the appeals by Datuk Seri Najib Razak and his lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah against the high court’s dismissal of their judicial review bids to disqualify Datuk Seri Gopal Sri Ram as senior deputy public prosecutor in their respective trials.
A panel of three judges led by Datuk Yaacob Md Sam yesterday set the date after hearing submissions from Shafee, representing former prime minister Najib, and Harvinderjit Singh, acting for Shafee, in proceedings conducted virtually.
Senior federal counsel Shamsul Bolhassan appeared for the government, the attorney-general and Sri Ram as the respondents.
“On the decision on these two appeals, we have decided to defer it to allow us to read again the submissions by the parties and the cases cited before us,” said Yaacob, who sat with judges Datuk Lee Heng Cheong and Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali.
“We will deliver our decision on November 8, at 9.30am.”
On August 28 last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court dismissed the judicial review applications brought by Najib and Shafee to remove Sri Ram, a former Federal Court judge, as senior DPP in their respective cases, ruling that Sri Ram’s appointment is valid.
Najib filed his judicial review application to disqualify Sri Ram as senior DPP in his 1Malaysia Development Bhd-linked cases in December 2018.
Shafee also filed for a judicial review seeking to recuse Sri Ram from his own RM9.5 million money-laundering trial.
The duo are seeking a court order to revoke Sri Ram’s appointment or recuse him, saying his letter of appointment is invalid.
They also want a declaration that there is a conflict of interest in Sri Ram’s appointment, and requested an order to prohibit him from leading the prosecution in all of their cases, including those on corruption, power abuse and money laundering. – Bernama, September 24, 2021
