Najib's legal team will discharge itself if appeal proceeds on Aug 15

PUTRAJAYA - The newly appointed legal team of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s final appeal in the SRC International Sdn Bhd case, today told the Federal Court that it would discharge itself if the court insists for the appeal to proceed next week.

It was learnt by the media that counsel from Messrs Zaid Ibrahim Suffian TH Liew & Partners and another law firm, Messrs Hisyam Teh, that they were not ready to proceed with the appeal as it involved heavy issues and needed time for preparation as it was not an ordinary appeal.

Thus, if the court insists for the main appeal to proceed on Aug 15 (Monday), then counsel have no choice but to discharge themselves from representing the former premier.

It is understood that the matter was conveyed before Federal Court deputy registrars, Wan Fatimah Zahara Wan Yusoff and Siti Hajar Mustaffa, during case management conducted via online today.

Ad hoc prosecutor, Datuk V. Sithambaram and deputy public prosecutor, Mohd Ashrof Adrin Kamarul acted for the respondent (public prosecutor) while counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Liew Teck Huat and M. Rueben appeared for Najib (appellant).

On July 26, Najib had discharged with immediate effect, Messrs Shafee & Co from representing him in his SRC appeal. However, Najib said his former counsel, Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah would continue as the solicitor and counsel in all other cases involving him that are currently before the Malaysian courts.

Najib then appointed Hisyam from Messrs Hisyam Teh as his lead counsel and ZIST partners, Liew and Rueben as his new solicitors.

The Federal Court has set 10 days from Aug 15 to hear the Pekan MP’s final appeal to set aside his conviction and jail sentence for the misappropriation of RM42 million of SRC International funds.

Today, the media were informed that hearing of the motion to adduce new evidence would be heard first on Monday (Aug 15) and if the motion is dismissed, then the court would proceed with the main appeal.

However, they were told that Najib’s counsel would again make an oral application before the court to adjourn the main appeal after the conclusion of arguments for a motion for fresh evidence and would leave it to court to decide.

In July 2020, High Court judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, sentenced Najib to 12 years’ imprisonment and a fine of RM210 million after finding him guilty of misappropriating RM42 million from SRC funds.

The case is at the final appeal stage in the Apex Court after the Court of Appeal, last year, upheld the verdict of the High Court and rejected the appeal of the former prime minister. - BERNAMA