KUALA LUMPUR – In a blow to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s defence team, the Court of Appeal has denied their application to adduce fresh evidence during their appeal tomorrow.
According to New Straits Times, the Court of Appeal will proceed to hand the verdict on Najib’s appeal to overturn his conviction at 9am tomorrow.
During the application hearing today, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah representing Najib argued that former Bank Negara Malaysia governor Tan Sri Zeti Akhtar Aziz may be involved in the case.
However, deputy public prosecutor Datuk V. Sithambaram argued that Najib’s application to adduce fresh evidence after trial was done in bad faith to delay proceedings.
Sithambaram said there was nothing to suggest Zeti’s involvement and she was available as a witness during the prosecution’s case during trial at the high court.
Earlier today, Najib and his defence team were absent from proceedings, save for lawyer Harvinder Singh Sidhu.
The defence requested a postponement for today and tomorrow's hearing, over the reason that a member of the defence team had tested positive for Covid-19.
However, the Court of Appeal insisted that proceedings resume at noon, threatening the issuance of an arrest warrant for Najib if he failed to appear later.
On July 28 last year, Najib was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment and fined RM210 million at the Kuala Lumpur High Court after he was found guilty of corruption concerning SRC International funds.
The Pekan MP was charged with three counts of criminal breach of trust, three counts of money laundering, and one count of abuse of power.
While delivering the judgment, Mohamad Nazlan Mohamad Ghazali said the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt. – The Vibes, December 7, 2021
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